7 Yoga Poses for a Bloated Stomach

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7 Yoga Poses for a Bloated Stomach
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A heavy stomach after a meal can leave you feeling bloated, sluggish, and uncomfortable. Yoga offers a natural and effective way to ease this discomfort, promote digestion, and restore balance to your body.

By incorporating gentle yoga poses into your routine, you can stimulate your digestive system, reduce bloating, and feel lighter and more energized. In this article, we will look into some easy, beginner-friendly poses which are meant for relief. They are perfect for post-meal relaxation and digestion.

Yoga Poses after Lunch

1Child’s Pose or Balasana

Child’s Pose is a deeply relaxing posture that massages the internal organs and promotes better digestion. It also helps relax the abdominal regions, reduce bloating, and soothe the nervous system.

How to Perform:

  1. Kneel on the mat, and sit back on your heels.
  2. Lower your body between your legs and stretch forward with your arms.
  3. Place your forehead on the floor and take slow, deep breaths.
  4. Hold for 30 seconds up to 1 minute before coming back.

2Hero Pose or Virasana

Hero’s pose is very helpful for digestion since it is held after meals to expand the body to create extra space in the abdominal area where feelings of bloating or heftiness occur.

How to Perform:

  1. Kneel on the mat with your knees together and your feet a little apart.
  2. Sit back on your heels, keeping your back straight.
  3. Rest your hands on your thighs and close your eyes, focusing on your breath.
  4. Hold the pose for 1-2 minutes before coming back.

3Standing Forward Fold or Uttanasana

This pose improves the flow of blood to the digestive organs, reducing bloating and maintaining regularity in the process. Compression of the abdominal region provides instant relief for a heavy stomach.

How to Perform:

  1. Stand with your feet approximately hip-width apart.
  2. Bend forward at your hips, keeping your spine straight.
  3. Drop your hands to the ground, or rest your shins or your ankles, depending on your flexibility.
  4. Hold the posture for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  5. Come the same way you went into the pose.

Also, Read: Yoga Postures to Cure Headaches

4Triangle Pose or Trikonasana

Triangle Pose creates internal heat and energy in the body, which assists in activating digestion and relieving bloating. The stretch on the abdomen is said to stimulate the digestive organs, which offers relief.

How to Perform:

  1. Stand with your legs wide apart.
  2. Turn your right foot outward and your left foot slightly inward.
  3. Extend your right hand toward your right ankle and raise your left arm toward the ceiling, creating a straight line.
  4. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides.
  5. Come back the same way you went into the pose.

5Seated Twist or Ardha Matsyendrasana

Twisting poses are the best for detoxifying the body and massaging internal digestive organs. This asana alleviates gas formation by discharging trapped gases and improving digestion.

How to Perform:

  1. Sit on the mat with legs fully extended.
  2. Bend the right knee and place the right foot on the lateral side of the left thigh.
  3. Extend your legs up against a wall and rest your right arm behind you. Place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee.
  4. Turn your torso to the right for 30 seconds.
  5. Come back the same way you went into the pose.
  6. Repeat on the other side.

6Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose or Viparita Karani

This is a restorative inversion that benefits bloating by promoting circulation and gently relieving tension in the abdominal region. It also aids relaxation and helps overall digestion.

How to Perform:

  1. Lie on your back with your legs stretched up against the wall.
  2. Place your hips as close to the wall as possible.
  3. Rest your arms by your sides and focus on your breathing.
  4. Hold the pose for 1-2 minutes before coming back.

7Cat-Cow Pose or Marjaryasana-Bitilasana

The flowing motion of Cat-Cow Pose gently massages the abdominal organs, stimulating digestion and relieving trapped gas. It’s a great way to ease bloating and encourage smoother digestion.

How to Perform:

  1. Begin on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
  2. Inhale, arch your back, and lift your head and tailbone (Cow Pose).
  3. Exhale, round your back, and tuck your chin to your chest (Cat Pose).
  4. Repeat this flow for 5-7 breaths.
  5. Come back to vajrasana.

Tips for Practicing Yoga After Meals

  1. Wait at least 30 minutes after eating before beginning your yoga practice.
  2. Pay attention to gentle poses that do not put much pressure on the stomach.
  3. Deeply and consciously breathe during each pose for full benefits.
  4. Prepare a soothing and comfortable atmosphere to help the body relax.

Conclusion

Yoga would ease the aching of a heavy or bloated stomach since its gentle stretching and mindful breathing stimulate one’s digestive system, reduce bloating, and make one relax.

Poses such as Child’s Pose, Hero Pose, and Seated Twists can help foster the health of the digestive system and the body in general.

Whether done after meals or as part of regular daily activities, these poses will make your body feel lighter, more energized, and balanced.

Then, when done patiently and according to the body’s needs, yoga eventually becomes a tremendous tool for improving digestion and fostering a healthier lifestyle.

  • Aug 2016
    Written by Abhro Bhattacharjee
  • Jan 2025
    Edited by Lakshmi Gayatri