Keeping Cool with Yoga

Summer is here in all its glory, with early mornings, beautiful sunshine and long evenings. But it can get a bit sweltering, and not everyone wants to (or can) resort to indoor temperature-controlled environments or swimming pools to cool down.

Thankfully, yoga tradition has some great techniques to cool your body, with special breathing exercises and cooling postures. And of course, foods can also help keep us hydrated and cool.

Cooling Breath

The ‘Sitali’ pranayama is a great way to cool your body temperature. Stick out your tongue and curl up the sides to make a pipette shape, breathe in, then close your mouth and hold your breath for a few seconds before breathing out through your nose. Repeat a few times.

Here’s a video to demonstrate.

Cooling Poses

Whether you’re needing to cool down after your yoga practice, or just needing to cool down generally, try these yoga poses:

• Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

• Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Crescent Low Lunge Pose Variation Knee On Floor)

• Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

• Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)

• Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Cooling Foods

Stay hydrated and cool with fresh, summery foods. Of course, a glass of cool water is always a good thing, but add some of these to your next shopping list for some cooling summer flavours:

• Watermelon and cucumber, for their high water content;

• Mint and fennel seeds, for their apparently cooling effects;

• Coconut water, for its electrolyte composition;

• Bananas, which help your body absorb more water;

• Lemon, radish and Indian gooseberry, for their vitamin C content.

What are your tricks for keeping cool this summer?