Use these 5 yoga asanas to heal yourself from alcohol addiction

Have you gone from feeling like you want a drink to feeling like you need a drink every night after work? If the latter is the case, it could be an alarm to cut back on your alcohol intake or stop drinking altogether. Even if you’re not an alcoholic, regular drinking throughout the week can affect your sleep, your mood, and your mental health too. If quitting the habit is on your mind and you’ve tried multiple ways already, try yoga!

Certain poses in yoga can boost your willpower and can help you quit alcohol. Yoga expert Grand Master Akshar told HealthShots about the yoga poses or asanas that can help. 

He says, “Addiction to yoga is something which will help you to make your life more peaceful and powerful. Whereas alcohol only disturbs you. You may get that momentary peace, but in reality, it disturbs your peace. It will not allow you to manifest your real self. So, incorporate the habit of yoga instead of alcohol.”

These 5 yoga asanas will help you beat alcohol addiction:

1. Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose)

Here’s how to do it:

• Gently kneel down, resting the pelvis on your heels
• Turn your toes outward
• Place your palms on your knees facing upward
• Straighten your back and look forward
• After holding it for a few seconds, spread out your knees, this position is known as prasarita Vajrasana
• Now hold this position for 10-15 seconds. Focus on inhaling and exhaling
• Slowly, come back to the Vajrasana

2. Supta padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose)

Here’s how to do it:

• Start in mountain pose, transfer your weight to the left foot and bring your right knee up
• Reach your right arm inside the thigh, cross it behind the ankle, and hold the outside of your right foot
• Extend the leg forward and then slowly rotate it out to the side
• Stay in extended hand to big toe pose for 30 seconds and then repeat on the opposite side.

3. Parvatasana (Mountain Pose)

Here’s how to do it:

• As part of the Surya Namaskara, Parvatasana is performed after Ashwa Sanchalanasana or the equestrian pose. Hence Ashwa Sanchalanasana becomes the starting pose for Parvatasana
• From Ashwa Sanchalanasana, straighten the bent leg and take it backwards. Exhale during this process. Let the right and left foot be together
• Raise the buttocks up. Let the two arms be on the floor and support the body weight. Lower the head to be between the two arms. The body makes the shape of a triangle when observed from the sides. It looks like a mountain and hence the name.

4. Supta Vajrasana (Reclined Thunderbolt Pose)

Here’s how to do it:

• Kneel down on your mat
• Place your pelvis on your heels and point your toes outwards
• Separate the feet and keep your knees together
• Place your palms behind your hips, pointing them forward
• Recline gently first on your palms and then, on your elbows
• If you are comfortable, then lie down on your back
• Place your palms on your knees facing upward, straighten your back, and look forward.

5. Side plank

Here’s how you can do it:

• Start with the original plank position. Open up your hips and chest towards your left side, first assuming the side plank position
• Raise your right arm towards the ceiling and let the left palm rest on the floor, while supporting the pose
• Engage your abdominal muscles, and keep your torso straight with no sagging or bending
• Hold the position for 15-20 seconds. After that, rotate back to the original position and then repeat on your other side.

So, practice these asanas regularly to strengthen your willpower to quit alcohol. 

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