Best Yoga for Epilepsy

  Can epilepsy ( Mirgi) be cured by yoga, know which are the easiest and best yoga asanas for this disease... Read this article.………….

What Is Epilepsy?

  Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition wherein the brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or fits or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, temporary confusion, staring spells, anxiety, fear, and sometimes even loss of awareness. Epilepsy can affect anyone of any age regardless of geographical location, race, ethnicity, gender, etc. Although doctors are yet to surface the exact cause of epilepsy, several studies suggest that it can happen due to head injury, trauma, brain damage from prenatal or perinatal injury, stroke, congenital defects, infectious diseases, genetic influence, autism, etc. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder, and for any disorder of the nervous system, yoga shows excellent benefits. Almost every yoga pose there benefits your nervous system in some way or the other.

One such timeless practice is Yoga. The ancient Indian practice and physical discipline of Yoga seek to re-establish the balance between the body and metabolic systems while uplifting physical stamina and calming the nervous system. Practicing selective yoga poses regularly not only improves circulation, respiration, immunity, and concentration but also effectively manages epileptic attacks and also decreases their frequency.

Epilepsy seizures cause & Can epilepsy patients live a normal life?

1. The basic logic behind seizures is that there is a sudden unexplained burst of electrical transmission between your brain cells.
2. Now the exact cause behind this trigger is mostly unknown unless you have a trauma or an injury to a specific area; which is easily diagnosed with an MRI. 
3. Stress, lack of sleep, infection, and lack of nutrients, are often considered the triggers of epilepsy seizures.
4. These activities are abnormal to our biology, and somehow they make our nerves behave abnormally, as well.
5. The causes are not entirely known to us, what we can try is to evade or manage the triggers.
6. This is what yoga precisely does. Yoga can help you eliminate the triggers of epilepsy seizures from your life; helping you lives a seizure-free life.

Yoga’s mechanism of controlling epilepsy seizures involves 5 key points.

• Yoga eliminates stress trigger
• Yoga increases mind-body awareness
• Yoga promotes sound sleep
• Yoga eliminates infection trigger
• Yoga supports the nutrients management

Is yoga good for epilepsy?

Yoga Can you live a normal life with epilepsy. Epilepsy is a disorder in which recurrent seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain.  People may also wish to try non‐drug treatments such as yoga. For those who have epilepsy and related problems, it is important to develop, evaluate, and implement a complementary treatment model in the everyday treatment of epilepsy. Yoga, an integral part of Indian culture and heritage, is said to bestow good health － physical, mental, and spiritual －on the practitioner. There are various types of yoga involving postural exercises (asanas), breath control (pranayama), and meditation. In one study, the practice of Sahaja yoga, a simple form of meditation, reduced seizures and ECG changes in people with epilepsy. The effect of meditation was attributed to a reduction in the level of stress as evidenced by changes in skin resistance and levels of blood lactate and urinary vanillylmandelic acid. National Epilepsy Day is earmarked on November 17 and was originally observed by the Epilepsy Foundation in India to reduce the prevalence of this disease in the country. This day chiefly characterizes by conducting various seminars, debates, stage events, etc. to create awareness and educate people about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and preventive measures of epilepsy. 

Try these yoga exercises to control epilepsy. | Calming and Rejuvenating Yoga Exercises and Poses for Epilepsy

The following exercises and yoga postures are beneficial to calm down the nervous system and are therefore helpful in dealing with the aftermath of a seizure. As mentioned above, with regular practice some epilepsy patients might even experience a reduction in seizures.

[1]. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

While resting the forehead on the mat and letting your breath become easy and comfortable, you enter the rest-and-regenerate state of your nervous system. The gentle pressure of the forehead against the ground is very calming and soothing. Make sure that your forehead is resting on the mat or a bolster and that also your buttocks are either supported on your heels or on a cushion. The child’s pose is both a resting and a restorative pose. As you bend forward, it gently arches your spine forward, stimulating your nervous system. And as you rest your forehead against the floor, the soft pressure on your forehead will feel very soothing. You will feel the stiffness dissipating from your head, face, neck, and spine. Perfect for if you’re feeling a bit unsteady or anxious, Balasana is an awesome stress reliever and can be reassuring if you think you might have a seizure soon. It’s also a really lovely, gentle stretch for the hips, back, and neck, and may be helpful if you experience pain after seizures.

Process To do this:

1. Get down on all fours, your hands, and knees.
2. Keep your hands shoulder length apart, and knees hip length apart.
3. Keep your hands fixed to the floor, pull your body backward, and sit on your heels.
4. Let your stomach be pressed on your thighs, your chest on your knees. 
5. Stretch out your upper back, shoulders, and hands.
6. Rest your forehead on the ground.
7. Hold the pose for about 30 seconds.
8. Normally the pose is simple, yet if you have any difficulty, use a yoga block to rest your forehead, or sit with a rolled blanket between your feet.

[2]. Corpse Pose (Shavasana)

The corpse pose (Shavasana) is extremely popular for its resting nature. And without a doubt, you will feel very relaxed, but the beauty of this pose is rather in its element of awareness. This pose is nothing but lying down meditation, where you focus and concentrate. You concentrate on your physiology and get aware of your physical being. And as you do so your nerves learn to develop stable neuronal firing. Needless to say, this is possibly the safest exercise on earth for someone with epilepsy. Lie down on your back and close your eyes. Relax your body and mind. and think happy peaceful thoughts. Take your time while you do this. Breathe normally and do not hold your breath. After some time, stand up.

Benefit:

This yoga asana is a must for insomnia marking the end of the yoga session. Not only does the corpse pose enhance concentration, relieve stress and tension but also manages neurological problems and improves overall mental well-being and stamina.

Process To do this:

1. Lie supine on the floor.
2. Stretch out your arms, and rest your legs at hip length apart.
3. Close your eyes.
4. And breathe steadily.
5. And with every breath focus on a specific muscle of your body.
6. With every exhale focus on relaxing the muscles.
7. Continue this pose for 10-15 minutes if you wish.
8. The challenge of this pose is to manage your mental block. Consciously condition your mind to enter a state of relaxation and awareness.

[3]. Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)

The Tree Pose is an immensely grounding and calming pose, in which you can develop one-pointed focus and a clear mind. Look at a point slightly above eye level and approximately 2 meters away. Look at the point with a gentle gaze and if you are struggling to maintain your balance, direct your breath to the focal point. Hold the pose for at least 1 minute on each side. Tree pose will require a little bit of balancing, but apart from that it’s mostly restorative. The balancing part will help your nerves learn better control over your muscles. This pose will also increase your body awareness. The tree pose includes holding and balancing your spine in a perfectly erect posture. This pose will also encourage the healing of internal injuries.

Process To do this:

1. Stand in a mountain pose.
2. Spine erect, look forward, shoulders dropped, legs hip-length apart, and hands straight along the sides of your body. 
3. Now gradually shift your body weight to your right side.
4. Balancing your weight on your right leg, lift up your left leg, and rest your left foot against the inner side of your right leg.
5. Raise both your hands overhead, partially straight, and join your palms together.
6. Keep your spine erect, exactly the way you would in mountain pose.
7. Hold your pose for 30 seconds.
8. Repeat the pose by balancing on your left leg.
9. Although unlikely, you still need to stay prepared for an episode of seizure. If you do get a seizure, mid-pose, you will fall and injure yourself. Thus it is safe not to practice this step when you are alone, not even with support.

[4]. Crocodile Pose (Makarasana)

The crocodile pose will add more depth to your spinal activity, in your yoga routine. Although, just enough to stimulate it, the effort will still be significantly less as compared to poses like the cobra pose. The crocodile pose is a good way to rest as you stretch your spine. This pose is also very beneficial to your cardiovascular health, and thus, your circulatory system.

Process To do this:

1. Lie on the front of your body.
2. Keep your legs slightly wider than hip length.
3. Bend your elbows and place your hands by the sides of your body.
4. Now press down with your arms, and arch up your upper body from your torso.
5. Bring your hands in front of you, plant your elbows on the ground, with your wrists facing upward.
6. Open your palm and create a resting hold for your head.
7. Rest your chin on your palm and rest.
8. Hold the pose for a minute to a couple of minutes.
9. During your hold bend one knee at a time and draw your heel toward your sitting bone.
10. After drawing one heel at a time, you can also try drawing both your heels together, toward your sitting bones.

[5]. Frog Pose (Mandukasana)

The frog yoga pose is something that will help primarily with your digestion. It will also boost your nervous functions and blood circulation. The frog pose will help you provide an efficient supply of nutrients, without which your brain can trigger a seizure.

Process To do this:

1. Sit in Vajrasana, with folded knees, and on your heels.
2. Take a deep breath in, and then equally deep exhale.
3. Exhale using your stomach, your belly should press completely into your spine as you exhale.
4. Press hold your belly into your spine, with your palms (one over the other.)
5. Keep your belly pressed in, bend forward all the way down, resting your chest on your knees.
6. Look in front and take 5-7 breaths and release.
7. Repeat the step 3 times.
8. You will have to be a little careful of your abdomen. In this pose, you will realize the safe press for your stomach. You don’t want to overdo the press and injure your insides.

[6]. Bhramari Pranayama (Bee Breathing Exercise)

It is believed that while the yoga poses help you improve the physical activities of your organs and tissues, the Yoga Pranayama helps you improve the physiology itself. The Bhramari Pranayama is all about your sense organs and the nervous network related to them. Naturally, the Pranayama will improve the physiology of the sense organs and sensory nerves, both of which play a vital role in triggering your epilepsy.

Process To do this:

1. Sit in an easy pose.
2. Close all your senses inward, with the Shanmukhi mudra.
3. In shanmukhi mudra, you open up your palm in both hands and place your little fingers under your lower lip. Your ring finger over your upper lip, your middle finger over your nose bridge, your index finger on your closed eyes, and your thumbs in your ear hole.
4. Take a deep breath in and exhale making a humming bee-like vibration sound.
5. Repeat this 10 times.
6. Make sure you are not pressing hard with your fingers. Apply very gentle pressure. The vibration sound should be made in the back and roof of your mouth. The vibration should be contained inward, rather than forced out, and it needs to be felt by all the sensory points on your face and head.

[7]. Mrigi Mudra 

One of the easiest and most effective exercises for epilepsy, mrigi mudra is a simple hand gesture of yoga. It’s formed by joining the middle and ring fingertip with the thumb tip. Mrigi mudra in epilepsy cures nervous weakness and reduces tension. Do this mudra a minimum of 30 minutes a day to control the epilepsy seizure.

Process To do this:

1. Sit in any meditative posture, padmasana, sukhasana or vajrasana.
2. Place the back of your hands on the respective kneecap.
3. Touch the tip of the thumb to the middle position i.e. a second portion of the middle and ring fingers and keep the rest of the ringers straight.
4. Hold this hand position for 15 minutes in one stretch.
5. Do this mudra 2 to 3 times a day to cure epilepsy.

[8]. Uttanasana (Forward Bending Pose)

While standing, bring the feet hip-distance apart. Without bending your knees, slowly bend your body above the torso downwards. See that your knees are straight. You can allow your hands and hang down and rest your palms on the ground or just hold your feet to the ankles. Hold this position for 8-10 breaths, then slowly get back to the standing position.

Benefits:

Also known as ‘Padahasthasana’, this inverted posture is quintessential in stretching the hips, spine and calf muscles. It soothes the nerves and calms the mind and helps in relieving stress and insomniac conditions. It is also extremely beneficial to calm down a throbbing headache. 

Process To do this:

1.  Sit on the floor and stretch your legs out straight in front of you.
2. Inhale, raise both hands above your head, and stretch up.
3. Exhale while bending forward and holding the toes with respective hands.
4. Your forehead must touch the knee joint in the bent position. Close your eyes. Breathe (2-3 times).
5. Inhale while raising your head and releasing your hands.
6. Exhale, and lower the arms.

[9]. Sarvangasana (Shoulder-Stand Pose)

The slightly increased blood flow toward the head and the pressure in the throat region triggers a physical reflex referred to as the bar reflex. This is one of the many triggers we have in our body that cause us to enter the calm, relaxed state of the parasympathetic nervous system. Because of this effect, the Shoulder stand is actually a very relaxing pose. In order to make this pose more accessible and safer, we suggest teaching it with the feet up against the wall for students with epilepsy. Lie flat on the ground with your legs laid side-by-side and both arms resting on either side of the body. Swing your legs up in such a way so that your legs, buttocks, and hip is up in the air, and support your body with your elbows attached to the ground. While settling into the pose, ensure that the hold your body properly keeping your legs and spine straight. Hold the pose for 30-40 secs while breathing normally. Slowly bring down your legs back to Shavasana pose and repeat 2-3 times.

Benefits:

Popularly known as the “Mother of all Poses”, the shoulder stand pose is extremely beneficial to soothe the nerves, calm the mind and stabilize secretion of hormones from the thyroid gland. Strengthening the arms, legs, spine, and lungs, promotes the flow of blood to the roots of the spinal nerves, brain cells, etc. Practicing this pose every day relaxes the mind and increases patience, concentration, and clarity.

Process To do this:

1. Lie in a supine position.
2. Exhale and lift both legs in an upward direction.
3. Bend your legs towards your head slowly. Move your hands to the lower back for support.
4. Inhale and point the toes towards the ceiling. Relax.
5. Release the pose by lowering your legs back to the ground.

[10]. Matsya Asana (Fish Pose)

Lie on your back and fold your arms underneath your body. Lift your head and chest up, breathe in, and then rest the crown of the head on the ground while arching your back. Maintain the balance of your whole body using your elbows. Inhale and exhale deeply opening up the chest. Maintain this position for as long as you are comfortable.

Benefits:

Deemed the “Destroyer of all diseases”, the Fish pose promotes deep breathing by stretching and strengthening the lung muscles. It opens up blocked channels within the ribs, chest, and throat, to relieve tension from the neck and shoulders and also to fortify the upper back muscles. It is also pivotal in relieving neurological conditions, enhancing circulation, and promoting overall immunity.

Process To do this:

1.  Sit on the ground while keeping your legs out in the front.
2. Bend your knees and keep your feet on the ground. Then, slide your left leg under the right leg.
3. Step your right foot over the left leg and make it stand on the floor.
4. Now, put your right hand against the floor and behind your hips. Set your arm on the left side of your right knee. Point the right knee towards the ceiling.
5. Sit in this pose for around a half minute and then relax.

[11]. Halasana (Plow Pose)

Lying on your back, raise both legs above the stomach. Bend your body and try to extend your legs above the head to touch the ground with the toes. Hold this posture for 10-15 seconds, relax for a minute, and repeat again.

Benefits:

One of the best asanas to help strengthen and open up the chest and make the spinal cord strong and flexible. It actively reduces stress, normalizes blood pressure, and also improves one’s mental and physical state. Practicing the plow pose on a daily basis, hold high significance in managing stress, calming the nervous system, and boosting the immune system of the body.

Process To do this:

1.  Lie down on your back on the ground. Keep your hands straight on the sides of your body, palm facing towards the ground.
2. Inhale slowly and raise your legs 90 degrees.
3. Exhale slowly and keep the legs straight. Gradually, move your legs from the top of the head to the back. Try touching the ground with the toes of your feet.
4. You can take the support of your hand to push your waist upward so that you can touch the ground with your toes.
5. Now, keep your hands straight on the ground. Stay in this pose for some time and normalize your breathing while coming back to the initial position.

[12]. Anulom Vilom  (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

At first, we recommend practicing this breathing exercise without retention. So, breathing in 4 counts through the left nostril and exhaling immediately 8 counts through the right nostril. To complete one round, breathe in again through the right nostril for 4 counts and exhale through the left nostril for 8 counts. Once this feels comfortable, you can add an 8-count retention after the inhalation (and before the exhalation).

Process To do this:

1. Place your right hand in Vishnu Mudra by folding the index and middle fingers inwards. Close your right nostril with your thumb and breathe out completely through your left nostril
2. Inhale for 4 counts through your left nostril.
3. Close your left nostril with the ring and little fingers so that both nostrils are now closed. Hold your breath for a count of 8.
4. Keeping your left nostril closed, release your right nostril and exhale completely to a count of 8.
5. With your left nostril closed, inhale through your right to a count of 4.
6. Close both nostrils and hold your breath for a count of 8.
7. Keeping your right nostril closed, release your fingers from your left nostril and breathe out completely for a count of 8.
8. This completes one round. Continue this exercise for 5-10 minutes.

Alternating nostril breathing

• The naḍi conveys life-giving energy and feelings in the subtle and coarse physical body. 
• Sodhana means refining and purifying, so naḍi-sadhana means purifying the energy and nerve pathways. 
• The point of this breathing is that you only breathe through one nostril. One nostril is closed with the finger, while the other is left free and breathed through.
• After just a few minutes, we can experience the physical-mental harmonizing effect of alternating nostril breathing.
• We can naturally balance the brain's two hemispheres through the left and then right nasal passages with alternating breathing. 
• Left nostril breathing helps relaxation, while exhalation and inhalation through the right nostril have a stimulating effect, helping concentration. 
• Those who breathe mostly through the right nasal passage stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, leading to high blood pressure.

Proper breathing - The most important thing is breathing

• Most people do not breathe with adequate efficiency. When we are born, we immediately follow the abdominal wall breathing, which becomes short breathing as a young adult. Stress causes the abdominal wall muscles to tense, thus not providing space for balanced healthy breathing.
• Many people breathe too superficially, breathe in for too short a time, and don’t suck in air deep enough. If we breathe poorly, countless substances are trapped in the body in acids because there is not enough oxygen to burn them. In addition, the lack of oxygen in the tissues leads to increased acid formation and thus further over-acidification. It is practical help to pay attention to exhaling the air more intensely consciously.
• When you begin to become aware and change your breathing, your body will respond wonderfully and initiate various self-healing processes. Abdominal breathing calms strengthens, more oxygen flows in, is good for our body and positively modifies our emotional world.
• Indian scriptures teach that the slower one breathes, the longer one lives. The secret of the healing effect of breathing is that while stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and stimulates the production of stress hormones, slow, deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for its calming and production of serotonin hormone involved in mood regulation.
• We can also use our breathing to affect our brain function. If we study our body and our breathing carefully, it can show us which part of our nervous system is more active (dominant) at that moment and allows us to act accordingly.
• There is a so-called nasal cycle, which is regulated by the central nervous system. It means that there are periods when we can breathe more quickly through the left nasal passage, and there are periods when we can breathe more quickly through the right nasal passage. This is related to the dominance of the hemispheres of the brain, as evidenced by EEG recordings.
• These findings come from several studies that address the selective stimulation (stimulation) of the hemispheres in the study of alternative respiration.

[13]. Passchimottanasana | Seated Forward Bend

The seated forward bend is an excellent pose to stretch the entire back body and release tension in your lower back and hips. Before entering the pose, make sure that you are sitting high up on your sitting bones. Enter the pose with a straight back and as you reach your maximum flexion, allow your upper back to round and your forehead to rest on your knees (or on support). If your hamstrings are tight, bend your knees and rest them on a folded blanket before assuming the pose described above. Once you are in the pose, try to relax completely while breathing into your lower belly and lower back.

Process To do this:

1.  Sit on the floor and stretch your legs out straight in front of you.
2. Inhale, raise both hands above your head, and stretch up.
3. Exhale while bending forward and holding the toes with respective hands.
4. Your forehead must touch the knee joint in the bent position. Close your eyes. Breathe (2-3 times).
5. Inhale while raising your head and releasing your hands.
6. Exhale, and lower the arms.

[14]. Supta Eka pada Kapotasana | Sleeping Pigeon Pose

The Sleeping Pigeon Pose lengthens and releases tension deep inside your buttocks (the glutes and piriformis) and the hip flexors (quadriceps femoris and psoas) whilst giving space to breathe into the body and check in with how you’re feeling. The psoas is considered to be a storehouse for stress and anxiety and gently stretching it can help students with epilepsy release long-stored emotions and stress. Always part of my post-seizure practice, this pose lengthens the hip flexors whilst giving space to breathe into the body and check in with how you’re feeling. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose) is, for many, a much-needed deep hip opener. The hips are the central hub of movement in your body. When they’re tight, it’s like wearing pants that are too small—the reduced range of motion in your hips, hamstrings, and spine creates discomfort. Opening this region improves circulation to your lower extremities, provides a better range of motion, and will help you feel more at ease during meditation, seated postures, and in your everyday life.

Pose benefits

This pose stretches your thighs, inner hips, and buttocks in different ways in your bent and straight legs.

Process To do this:

1. Starting on your hands and knees, slide your left knee forward, angling your left shin under your torso so your left foot is at the front of your right knee and the outside of your left shin is resting on the floor.

2. Slowly slide your right leg back, straightening your knee and resting the top of your thigh on the floor.

3. Lower your outer left backside to the floor.
4. Position your left heel just in front of your right hip.
5. Your left knee can angle slightly to the left, outside the line of the hip. Look back at your right leg. It should extend straight back from your hip.
6. Lift your torso away from your thigh. Lengthen your lower back by pressing your tailbone down and forward.
7. Draw your right front hip point slightly forward, toward your left heel.
8. Remain in the pose for a few breaths, release your hands one by one, and lower your torso over the left leg and down to the floor, keeping the spine long.
9. Stay for a few breaths, resting your forehead on the floor or your forearms. Come up with an inhale and return to your hands and knees.
10. Repeat on the other side.

[15]. Seal  Pose (Yin Yoga)

The Seal is an adapted version of the Extended Cobra Pose. By using cushions under the belly, it becomes a Yin Yoga pose that can be held for 3 – 5 minutes. It is an excellent pose to massage the sacral-lumbar arch and it stimulates the whole spine and abdominal organs.

Process To do this:

1. Lie on your stomach, legs a comfortable distance from each other.
2. Bring your palms flat on the floor and adjust the distance of your hands away from your body, according to the sensations in your lower back: bring the hands forward to reduce the sensations or widen the position of the arms to accommodate your shoulders
3. The neck can stay neutral, or you can gently drop the head back or forward, supporting your chin with your fists if you wish.
4. Relax your buttocks, and hold the pose for 3 to 5 minutes. Eventually, this pose can be held up to 20 minutes
5. To come out of the pose, gently lower the chest on the floor and lie down, forehead on your hands.
6. For a deeper release in the lower back, bend one knee and glide it towards (but not parallel with) the hip. Bring your cheek on your hands looking toward the bent knee. Repeat on the other side.

[16]. Garland Pose | Malasana

The Garland Pose, aka Yogic Squat, is a pose in which you have to find a balance between activation and relaxation. While you are pushing your heels into the ground, pushing your elbows out, and reaching up with the top of the head, allow your Achilles heels to relax. This will enable your inner thighs and calves to lengthen. Make sure that your heels are resting, and if necessary, support them with a folded mat or block.

Process To do this:

1. Squat with your feet as close together as possible. (Keep your heels on the floor if you can; otherwise, support them on a folded mat.)
2. Separate your thighs slightly wider than your torso. Exhaling, lean your torso forward and fit it snugly between your thighs.
3. Press your elbows against your inner knees, bringing your palms to together in Anjali Mudra (Salutation Seal), and resist the knees into the elbows. This will help lengthen your front torso.
4. To go further, press your inner thighs against the sides of your torso. Reach your arms forward, then swing them out to the sides and notch your shins into your armpits. Press your fingertips to the floor, or reach around the outside of your ankles and clasp your back heels.
5. Hold the position for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then inhale, straighten the knees, and stand in Uttanasana.

[17]. Nadi Sodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

Nadi Shodhana restores improper breathing habits. Exercising provides the body with the right amount of oxygen and effectively removes carbon dioxide and toxins from the blood. It balances and stimulates the functioning of the hemispheres of the brain. Relieves stress relieves anxiety. Balances the left and right sides of the brain and calms the nervous system, which could play a part in seizure control. I do 10 rounds as part of my morning practice.

How to practice Nadi Shodhana Pranayama:

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama should be practiced daily on an empty stomach early in the morning. Ideally, when the intestines are emptied, and the mouth and body were clean.

Process To do this:

1. Sit comfortably. Your hips should be perpendicular to the ground.
2. Take Vishnu Mudra by placing the right-hand thumb on the right nostril with the ring finger and pinky on the left side.
3. Exhale, then close the right nostril with the thumb and inhale through the left nostril
4. Release the pressure on the right nostril and exhale
5. Press the left nostril with the ring finger and inhale through the right nostril
6. Release Left nostril and exhale
7. This completes one entire cycle
8. Repeat 10-12 cycles
9. Close your eyes and take some deep breaths through both nostrils before you end the session. You can also add some meditation after this breathwork routine. Try to avoid eating anything for at least 30 minutes after any yoga or pranayama session.

When to avoid the practice of Nadi Shodhana Pranayam

• During Cold, fever, flu
• During menstruation
• Blocked sinuses
• Full Stomach
• One with heart trouble, high anxiety, or nervousness should not practice Nadi Shodhana with retention

Health Benefits of Nadi Shodhana

 Balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain

• Improves spatial orientation and spatial memory (left nasal passage)
• Improves verbal expression (right nasal passage)
• Sharpens the five senses
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• It rejuvenates the tissues of the body when fresh oxygen enters each cell
• Rejuvenates the mind; increases concentration, intellect, and memory
• Balances blood pressure
• Calm purifies and strengthens the entire nervous system
• Balances the right and left sides of the brain
• Brings balance to the mind and emotions
• Removes constriction and obstruction in the channels
• Harmonizes and balances the left and right channels of the body

[18]. Sirsasana (Headstand)

For me, headstands bring a sense of strength and independence which help to counter anxiety surrounding seizures. Sirsasana (Headstand) is an energizing inversion that relies on the strength of your upper body and core while centering and focusing your mind. Though there are many physical benefits, including building leg, arm, and core strength, this is a challenging pose that you must approach with a “safety first” mentality. The key to this asana is to avoid placing weight on your head and neck. Instead, let your arms and shoulders hold you up.

Pose benefits

• Supported Headstand improves body awareness, circulation, and posture. 
• It can help reduce swelling in your ankles and feet, boost energy, fight fatigue, and build confidence.

Process To do this:

1. Sit in Vajrasana, and bend forward with folded forearms resting on the ground with interlocked fingers.
2. The head and the hands are on the floor and form a triangle.
3. Place the crown of the head between the interlocked fingers.
4. Slowly balance the head on the fingers.
5. Lift the knees and glutes off the floor and straighten them.
6. Slowly walk the feet towards the trunk.
7. Now, prepare to lift yourself off the floor - bend the knees, keep the heels near the buttocks, and slowly straighten the hips so that the thighs are perpendicular to the floor.
8. Slowly straighten the knees and the calves till the entire body is vertical – one straight line with the feet relaxed.
9. Balance the body and maintain this position for a few seconds or as long as you are comfortable. Advanced yoga practitioners may start with a minute and then go up to at least five minutes.
10. Focus your attention on the breath and the head region.
11. While coming back, follow the steps in reverse order.
12. Slowly fold the legs and bring the thighs back to the perpendicular position.
13. Slowly drop the legs to the ground.
14. To regain balance from the inverted position, sit in Shishuasana (Child Pose) for some time. 
15. Release the hand position, and sit in Vajrasana. 
16. Rest for a few minutes in Savasana (Corpse Pose).

[19]. Camatkarasana (Wild Thing)

There’s something about the openness and freedom in this pose…it never fails to make me smile. Wild Thing creates a powerful connection to your mind, body, and breath in a joyful way. Energetically, opening your chest, throat, and third eye in this backbend can give you a sense of freedom. When you inhale and reach your top arm up and over your ear, you may feel wild, like anything you can dream up is within your reach. Physically, you must tap into your strength in order to balance on one hand and the pinky edge of your foot. You also need the flexibility to flip your leg around from One-Legged Downward-Facing Dog to behind you and onto the floor.

Pose Benefits

• The wild thing opens up the chest, lung, and shoulder areas, as well as the front of the legs and hip flexors. 
• It builds strength in the shoulders and upper back.  
• Avoid this pose if you have carpal tunnel syndrome or rotator cuff injuries.

Process To do this:

1. Start in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog).
2. Bring your weight into your right hand and roll onto the outer edge of your right foot.
3. On an inhalation, lift your hips with buoyancy. Stay strong in your right hand making a clawing action with the fingers. Keep the head of the right arm bone back. On an exhalation, step your left foot back and place your toes on the floor with your knee partially bent.
4. Curl back through your upper back to create a sweeping action of the shoulder blades into the back of the rib cage.
5. On an inhalation lift your hips higher until you curl more into a backbend with your right foot solid on the ground.
6. Keep breathing and curl your head back, extending your left arm from your heart and expressing your power and freedom.
7. Hold for 5-10 breaths, return to Down Dog, and repeat on the other side.

Can Yoga Help with Epilepsy?

Yoga for epilepsy may not be commonly known. The practice of yoga has been proven to provide lasting health benefits. Yoga is not just about some physical movements; asanas (yoga postures) and yogic breathing exercises have a positive impact on the functioning of the nervous system. Controlled breathing, meditation, and gentle yoga postures help to reduce stress, and well-recognized triggers of epilepsy seizures. Yoga for epilepsy can be used as an additional, complementary treatment when practiced with knowledge and practiced safely.  There is a chance that after the prolonged specific practice of yoga for epilepsy, positive changes in the body and brain can occur. These changes may help prevent seizures and increase the duration of seizure-free periods. In this way, yoga for epilepsy can be seen as a complementary treatment for those with epilepsy.

 Yoga Poses That Helped Me Fight Epilepsy

1. Things are a bit wonky, and sometimes there’s a small square hovering next to my right eye. And then I look up, and some time has passed, and someone’s crouching next to me.
2. I have epilepsy. The above is pretty much how I experience seizures, although they’re very different for the people around me: they last from 5 to 20 minutes, and sometimes I do strange things like tell my long-suffering flatmate that ‘the carpet is walking’. They’re not the kind of seizures that spring to mind for most people when they hear the word epilepsy – and rather than flashing lights, they’re usually triggered by stress.
3. I practiced yoga before I was diagnosed three years ago; but after finding out that my brain has a penchant for electrical malfunction – and that my biggest trigger for seizures is stress – asana and meditation became a much bigger part of my life.
4. From hours of following mysterious Internet trails to obscure places, it seems that research into the usefulness of yoga for dealing with epilepsy is limited and poorly referenced. This isn’t surprising, given that the condition itself is so variable from person to person and so little understood.
5. For me, consistent yoga practice plays a huge part in handling my seizures every day. And because of this, I’m confident it can help others, too – if not by physically reducing seizures, then at least by making it easier to get your head around them and accept what’s going on with your body.
6. Having discovered that it was emotional stress that made me most likely to start twitching all over the place, I turned to my yoga practice which had, until then, been sporadic. I began to practice five or six days a week and very quickly felt the difference; I was calmer and, quite simply, had fewer seizures on days when I practiced, than on days when I didn’t.
7. As time has gone on, yoga has also become a way to handle the after-effects of seizures; they sometimes turn me into a bit of an emotional monster, and I’ve developed a post-seizure sequence of asanas and pranayama exercises that really do work when I’m feeling particularly monstrous.

The Benefits of Yoga for Epilepsy Patients

1. Yoga has been found to be beneficial for those living with epilepsy due to its calming effects on the mind and body.
2. It helps reduce stress levels, which can be a trigger for seizures in some people. Additionally, yoga increases mindfulness, which can be helpful in managing anxiety and depression – two common side effects of living with epilepsy.
3. Yoga also improves balance and coordination by strengthening the core muscles.
4. This is important because many people who suffer from epilepsy experience loss of coordination due to frequent seizures or medications used to treat them. Furthermore, studies have shown that regular yoga practice can help reduce the frequency and severity of epileptic seizures.
5. It does this by activating certain areas of the brain that are responsible for controlling involuntary movements – such as those associated with a seizure episode – as well as regulating moods and emotions.
6. yoga involves deep breathing exercises which help increase oxygen levels in the brain – a key factor in helping manage epileptic episodes. Additionally, this type of exercise helps improve focus and concentration while reducing fatigue – both important factors when it comes to day-to-day activities involving concentration or alertness.

Control Seizure Disorder With Pranayama 

Is epilepsy fully cured?- Yoga-based breathing techniques are thousands of years old practices. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama, referred to as Alternate Nostril Breathing, can have a positive life-changing impact on the nervous system. Pranayam is a simple and effective practice people can use to clear their minds and calm their inner selves. Centuries-old written and oral documents have mentioned that it is possible to control seizure disorder with pranayam. The Nadi Shodhana Pranayama is an elixir for mental peace and self-control. Inhalation and exhalation happen automatically for everyone. It is a self-propelled process. Our body has nine openings for transmitting the senses with and doing the actual work. But out of the nine, the nose is the central opening through which we get breathing. If the breathing process is regularized, it can help reduce the fits that one gets due to fear, insecurity, misunderstandings, or mental problems.

Conclusion

Avoiding the triggers of epilepsy is no easy task. You need to carefully manage all parts of your lifestyle. Which will include your yoga and other exercises, your diet, habits, and medications. You also need to pay special attention to not skipping your medications. Yoga has both systematic breathing and meditation in its practices. Yet, you can try and include regular meditation and breathing exercises in your routine. This will help you multiply the benefits of yoga. And last but not least, always remember not to over-exhaust.