Psoriasis is a skin condition that can impact your life in many ways. This chronic skin problem affects approximately 2% of the world’s population, affecting men and women equally. Its severity varies from person to person and can cause minor irritation to seriously affecting your quality of life. Psoriasis is also linked to depression, suicidal tendencies, and other mental health issues. In addition to this, people suffering from psoriasis are at high risk for diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
It has been proven that there is an association between psoriasis and stress. Stress can flare up psoriasis and is likely to augment the severity of your symptoms by inducing chronic immune activation. Therefore, to keep your psoriasis under control, you can resort to yoga. This ancient practice can help calm your mind and ease your psoriasis symptoms. Practicing certain yoga poses, deep breathing and meditation can really improve your psoriasis symptoms in the long-term.
Psoriasis and its Causes
Psoriasis is a skin condition that can make your skin to erupt with red, dry, itchy patches with silver scales that can burn. These crusty patches mainly appear on your scalp, elbows, knees, and lower body. Although, they can appear anywhere on your body.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. Your immune system mistakes healthy skin cells to be the pathogens and starts attacking them. As a result, the skin develops red, inflamed areas. Additionally, the disease can also be triggered by some environmental factors, especially cold, dry conditions. Other triggers could be infections such as strep throat, an injury to the skin, cut, severe sunburn, certain medications – like anti-malarial drugs, high blood pressure, etc. Unfortunately, there is no cure for psoriasis, but you can certainly manage your symptoms. This skin condition can destroy your physical health and your inner peace.
There are many modern and alternative treatment strategies available. However, none have proven to be completely beneficial to people suffering from psoriasis. Traditional practices like yoga and Ayurveda are safe and natural ways of improving your psoriasis and have shown promising results in ameliorating the flare-ups and remissions. Below are given some breathing techniques and yogasanas to help you manage your psoriasis symptoms.
Pranayama
Practicing breathing exercises for 10 to 15 minutes can help reduce stress levels by having your body breathe in more oxygen. Additionally, these breathing techniques generate heat, improve lung function, detoxify the body, reduce psychological stress, and develop more resilience to stressful events.
1. Kapalbhati
The literal translation of Kapalbhati is “the shining forehead” and this is what exactly happens with the regular practice of this pranayama – a natural glow on the face. Also, this breathing technique is believed to have distinct mental, physical, and spiritual benefits.
Instructions
- Sit comfortably and put your palms on your knees.
- Inhale with both your nostrils slowly and steadily until your lungs are full of air. Concentrate on the airflow and breathe calmly.
- Exhale forcefully with both nostrils, pulling your stomach inward. You should feel some pressure in your stomach while breathing out forcefully in a short burst.`
- Inhale and exhale like this for about 20 times. This is one round. Do 4 to 5 rounds.
Benefits
- Generates heat in the body.
- Improves blood circulation and digestion.
- Calms your mind and uplifts your mood.
- Keeps depression at bay and instills positivity in you.
- Rectifies hormonal imbalances in the body.
- Flushes toxins from the body.
2. Bhastrika or the bellow’s breath
Just like a bellow draws in air and pushes it over the glowing coals to generate more heat, Bhastrika pranayama also uses the diaphragm and abdominal muscles to draw air in and out of the lungs, generating heat and increasing lifeforce or prana in the body. Furthermore, bellow breaths are invigorating and should be done first thing in the morning to give you the energy boost to start your day. However, you can practice it any time during the day when you need an energy boost. But avoid practicing Bhastrika pranayama close to bedtime, as it may refresh your mind and make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
Instructions
- Sit in any comfortable position, although sitting in Vajrasana or Sukhasana is considered more effective. Place your hands on the knees and feel relaxed.
- Close your mouth and inhale forcefully through both your nostrils. Make sure your lungs are filled with air.
- Once you have inhaled fully, exhale forcefully, making a hissing sound. Inhale and exhale with great force with rapid succession. Repeat this 5 to 10 times.
- Remember, when you inhale your chest should expand, instead of your abdomen. Whereas, on the exhalation, your chest should get compressed.
- Instead of inhaling and exhaling through both nostrils, you can do the inhalation through one nostril and exhalation through the other.
Benefits
- Strengthens your immunity.
- Keeps anxiety and depression at bay.
- Energizes the mind and body.
- Benefits your nervous system.
- Improves circulation of blood to the brain.
- Helps to throw out the toxins.
3. Anulom Vilom
Anulom Vilom also called alternate nostril breathing is said to have many physical and psychological benefits, including stress reduction and enhanced breathing and circulation.
Instructions
- Find a cool and comfortable place and sit in any meditation sitting pose. Keep your neck and spine erect and close your eyes.
- Close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale through your left nostril slowly until your lungs are full.
- Now release your thumb and close your left nostril with the ring finger of the right hand and exhale through the right nostril.
- Do this now in reverse, inhaling from the right nostril and exhaling through the left
- This is one round of Anulom Vilom. Practice at least 5 and gradually increase up to 20 rounds in a go.
- Focus on the breath and practice the technique slowly.
Benefits
- Improves respiratory and cardiovascular health.
- Improves your eyesight.
- Helps in relaxing the nervous system
- Helpful in relaxing the nervous system.
- Flushes out toxins from the body.
- Builds up lung stamina.
4. Brahmari Pranayama
The Brahmari pranayama technique is known for reducing your breathing and heart rate. Brahmari is the Sanskrit word for “bee” and the sound that is made by this breath is similar to the buzzing sound of a bee. This breathing technique has a calming effect on the mind and body and can help cure insomnia.
Instructions
- Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and keep your teeth and lips slightly open. This will allow the sound of the breath to be heard and felt distinct.
- Now close your ears with your thumbs and place your index and middle fingers gently over your eyes between your inner eyes and the bridge of the nose. Put the ring fingers gently above your nostrils and your little fingers just above your upper lip.
- Inhale through your nose and as you exhale through your nose slowly make a soft steady humming sound like that of a bee. This humming sound will make the front of your skull reverberate. Continue doing this for at least 5 minutes and slowly increase it to 10 to 15 minutes.
- Try to sustain the humming exhalation as long as it is comfortable. Don’t force yourself to maintain the buzzing sound, as it can cause even more stress.
Benefits
- Supports the healing of the bodily tissues.
- Relieves stress and anxiety.
- Induces sound sleep.
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Calms and quietens the mind.
- Soothes the nerves.
How Can Yoga Help in Psoriasis?
- Yoga can boost emotional resilience for those affected with psoriasis.
- It can help you get glowing, healthy, and beautiful skin by detoxifying your body, improving your blood circulation, and nourishing your skin.
- It can help you mitigate the stressors that can alter your skin disorder. Performing yoga poses can enhance your blood circulation, stimulate your nervous system, and bring more oxygen and blood flow to the body.
- Yoga can balance your hormones, scavenge free radicals, and boost your immunity to help you combat your skin condition.
- It is not uncommon for people living with psoriasis to not suffer from anxiety, depression, and mental health issues. Eventually, this can make the condition worse and also affect how a person responds to the treatment. Yoga can help people dealing with psoriasis to cope with mental health issues related to the illness.
- Yoga can soothe you from the inside out. It will help you find acceptance of yourself.
- It can also give you the strength and discipline to make those necessary dietary changes that can help soothe your condition and pain.
- The poses and breathing can quieten the nervous system and give inner peace.
- Psoriasis arthritis is another condition related to psoriasis. It can lead to stiffness, fatigue, swollen and painful joints, and limited range of motion. Yoga can improve your mobility and reduce pain.
Asanas
1. Pawanmuktasana
This pose flushes out toxins from the body by regulating the digestive system and improving circulation.
Instructions
- Lie down flat on your back. Inhale and slowly raise your legs from the floor.
- Now bend both the legs and rest the thighs against your tummy. Keep your knees and ankles together. Clasp your arms around your legs. Hold the position for a few seconds.
- As you exhale tighten your grip on the upper shins, whereas while inhaling loosen your grip.
- Exhale and rock from side to side a few times. Relax.
2. Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
Half Lord of the Fishes Pose promotes blood circulation to deeper tissues and also strengthens the musculoskeletal system.
3. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
The Child’s pose requires kneeling and bending forward. It stretches the hips, ankles, and thighs reducing stress and fatigue.
4. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Uttanasana promotes blood circulation which can be great for your skin. It improves the functioning of the nervous system resulting in overall health. Uttanasana is a great pose for relieving stress and fatigue. It also gives the feeling of tranquility and calmness.
5. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
Trikonasana reduces anxiety and depression and improves the functioning of the nervous system. Trikonasana opens the chest, torso, and hips which increases blood circulation. It helps the facial muscles to relax which can lead to healthy and glowing skin.
6. Head to Knee Pose (Janusirsana)
Janusirsasana increases blood flow and oxygen to the facial muscles and makes your skin feel rejuvenated. It also helps balance the hormones and clear out toxins from the body.
7. Legs up the wall (Viparita Karani)
Viparita Karani arrests the free radicals and augments the supply of oxygen to the face. It also helps flush out the toxins from the body.
8. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Cobra pose stretches and opens your heart which can improve your breathing and increases oxygen supply. The pose also helps in detoxification and regulates the hormones in the body.
9. Corpse Pose (Shavasana)
Corpse pose helps relax your mind and body, calms the brain, decreases blood pressure, and relieves stress and mild depression.
Diet and Lifestyle Tips
In combination with medicine, a healthy diet and other lifestyle changes can improve psoriasis, reduce flare-ups, and curtail your risk of developing related diseases.
- Cut out junk, oily, spicy, and too sour or acidic foods.
- Avoid alcohol and smoking. Alcohol can escalate your skin condition, making your symptoms worse.
- Stay positive.
- Practice mindfulness meditation to relieve stress.
- Include flax seeds to help you get cleaner and brighter skin.
- Increase your intake of water.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Do any kind of physical activity to maintain a healthy weight and reduce stress and anxiety.
The Bottomline
Currently, there is no cure for psoriasis. Understanding how to control the flare-ups can help you manage the condition better and reduce the associated pain. Making healthy lifestyle choices, practicing yoga asanas, meditation, and breathing techniques can help keep psoriasis flares at bay and decrease the severity of the condition.
Hence, don’t allow psoriasis to get you down. Yoga can improve psoriasis and your self-confidence. The practice can give you physical and emotional strength, and help you carry on and live with your skin condition without hurting your self-confidence.