Enhance your immunity this winter with these 8 effective yoga asanas that promote warmth, support digestion, and strengthen body’s defences.
Winter is the time when many people catch a cold and flu unexpectedly. One moment you feel fine, and the next you’re sneezing a lot. However, many don’t realise that it’s one way in which your body tells you it needs more activity. Like muscles that require regular exercise to stay strong, your immune system also benefits from daily movement. You don’t need intense workouts or hours at the gym. Simple, gentle yoga asanas can improve blood flow, increase lung capacity, reduce inflammation, and help your body fight infections more effectively.
8 yoga poses for the immune system
Ayurvedic doctor Dr Gagan Tiwari at Kailash Health Village shares yoga poses to boost immunity and keep you warm during winter.
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Surya namaskar: Sun salutation
Surya Namaskar remains one of the most powerful full-body sequences for warming the body, integrating forward bends and backbends with synchronised breathing that activates the musculature and promotes blood circulation. “Doing 8-12 rounds daily serves to elevate heart rate, build respiratory capacity, and sharpen digestive fire, all very important to winter wellness”, Ayurveda Doctor Dr Gagan Tiwari at Kailash Health Village tells Health Shots. Such rhythmic movement prepares the body for deeper asanas and combats sluggishness, amply common during cold weather.
2. Uttan mandukasana (extended frog pose)
This pose deeply stimulates the abdominal organs, supporting digestion and metabolism, both of which are closely linked to immunity. It also improves flexibility in the spine and hips, helping release stiffness caused by cold weather.
3. Ustrasana (camel pose)
Winter worsens respiratory problems due to dry air and cold. Ustrasana expands the lungs, chest, and throat, thereby increasing oxygen supply and boosting immunity. “This backbend stimulates the thymus gland, an endocrine gland that helps regulate the immune system”, says the ayurveda doctor. This will help counter the tendency to hunch or close the chest in cold weather, promoting better posture and deeper breathing.
4. Trikonasana (triangle pose)
This standing asana improves balance, strengthens the core, and aids digestion. “As Ayurveda relates digestion directly to immunity, Trikonasana is highly effective in winters when the metabolism is naturally low”, says the doctor. The pose stretches and firms the legs, hips, and spine, which can become rigid in cold weather.
5. Vrikshasana (tree pose)
Balancing postures, such as Tree Pose, have a grounding effect on the nervous system. A balanced, regulated nervous system supports a much more formidable immune system and better hormonal balance. “Daily practice of Vrikshasana improves focus, reduces anxiety, and enhances endurance, all of which are very useful during the winter months when there is a tendency to feel physically and mentally sluggish”, says the expert.
6. Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
Bhujangasana is particularly useful in winter, when spinal flexibility is enhanced, the lungs are opened, and circulation to the chest cavity improves. “The stimulation of the abdominal viscera by this asana aids metabolism and digestion, processes so vital for maintaining immunity”, says Dr Tiwari. Regular practice of the Cobra Pose helps eliminate stiffness and maintain mobility during the winter months, when one generally works less.
7. Setu bandhasana (bridge pose)
The Bridge Pose increases flow to the upper body and balances the endocrine system. Good circulation helps build inner warmth and energy. “Setu Bandhasana also reduces stress, which is one of the factors that lowers immunity, especially during winter, when many people are affected by shorter daylight hours”, shares the doctor.
8. Pranayama
Breathing is very important for boosting immunity during colder seasons.
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Key practices include:
- Kapalbharti: The asana is an excellent cleanser of the respiratory passages and improves metabolic activity.
- Anulom-vilom: It balances both the hemispheres of the brain, reduces stress, and increases oxygenation. “Just 15 minutes a day of pranayama can make all the difference in general winter well-being by enhancing respiratory strength and mental clarity”, says the expert.
- Bhastrika: It produces internal heat, increases the capacity of the lungs, and helps the immune system.
