If you’ve ever felt like you’re about to pop after enjoying a big meal, you’re not alone. Bloating after eating is common — according to the Cleveland Clinic, it happens to 10 to 25 percent of us — and with all the massive, rich meals that come around Thanksgiving and the holidays, it’s no wonder so many of us are walking around bloating during the festive season. The good news? Bloating isn’t necessarily inevitable. Some light activity can actually help you reduce bloating after eating, even after a giant, holiday-style meal, and yoga is one form of exercise we recommend to do it.
“Yoga is beneficial for digestion and managing bloating,” yoga instructor Bayu Prihandito of Life Architekture tells SheKnows. Turns out, all the bending and stretching that feels so good for your tight muscles also does wonders for your stomach and intestines. “Many yoga poses gently compress, twist, and stretch the abdomen, stimulating the digestive organs and promoting motility — the natural movement of food and waste through the gut,” Kate Lombardo, a certified yoga instructor, wellness educator, and co-founder of YogaRenew, tells SheKnows.
And it’s not just the physical movement. The mindful breathing aspect of yoga and especially deep abdominal breathing “plays an important role in stimulating the gut,” Prihandito says. Plus, yoga’s ability to calm the nervous system helps to reduce stress and enhance the gut-brain connection “can significantly impact digestion,” Lombardo adds.
We asked to five yoga instructors about the best yoga poses to help you beat the bloat and feel better after a big meal, and you can try them all out below. Just remember to wait about an hour after a heavy meal before you start stretching, and keep the yoga on the light and gentle side. “It’s about being gentle and patient with your body, not forcing it,” Prihandito says. Lombardo recommends starting with gentler poses like Child’s Pose and Legs-Up-the-Wall (see below!) then gradually progressing to more active poses as you feel a little better. And if you’re experiencing chronic or painful bloating, make sure to talk to your doctor.
Why it works: The Sanskrit name for this pose, Pawanamuktasana, actually translates to wind-relieving pose — wind meaning, yes, gas — so knees-to-chest is definitely a good choice for aiding digestion. Prihandito says this simple pose will “gently compress your abdomen, stimulating digestion and helping to ease any discomfort.”
How to do it: Lie flat on your back and draw your knees up to your chest. Wrap your arms around your legs and hug them into your chest, holding the pose for a few seconds and gently swaying side to side if desired.
Why it works: In addition to providing gentle compression, the rotation in supine twist is helpful for easing digestion. “In general, twists during a yoga session are particularly effective, as they massage the internal organs and help release trapped gas,” Prihandito says.
How to do it: Lie flat on your back with your legs straight. Draw your right knee up and hug it into your chest. Then, use your left hand to drape your knee across your body to your opposite side, allowing your spine to twist with it. Keep your left hand on your knee or thigh as you extend your right arm out to the right and twist your head towards it, making sure your right shoulder blade stays glued to the ground. It’s OK if your right knee doesn’t touch the ground; you can place a block or a pillow under it for extra support, or just let it hang. Hold here for a few seconds, then switch sides.
Why it works: In child’s pose, you’ll mimic the same posture as knees-to-chest, but you’re on your knees instead of your back, says yoga teacher and author Deborah Charnes. Pro tip: Charnes says she often places her fists on the lower sides of her belly while holding this pose. “With the weight of my torso pushing against them, it massages my intestines,” she tells SheKnows. Lombardo is also a fan of this pose for digestion, saying, “This gentle compression stimulates circulation through the gut and can have a calming effect on an unsettled stomach.”
How to do it: Start on your hands and knees. Slowly shift your butt back towards your ankles, bringing your feet together until your toes touch and allowing your arms to straighten while keeping your palms flat on the ground. Lower your forehead between your arms, touching it to the ground if possible. You can bring your knees close together or keep them wider than your torso. Relax into the pose and hold for as long as you want.
Why it works: Charnes highly recommends this pose, which taps into some elements of Reiki (aka energy healing). By placing your hands on your belly in this relaxing pose, you can help your body calm down and devote energy to digestion. “I can always hear or feel my digestive track settling into place whenever I do this,” Charnes explains.
How to do it: Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and your hands lying palms-up at your sides. Close your eyes and allow your entire body to relax. If desired, place both hands on your belly, “wherever you feel bloating or gas,” and keep them there for several minutes, Charnes says.
Why it works: Another gentle twisting move, seated twist can help with bloating because it “massages your internal organs and helps create movement through the intestines,” says Alex Artymiak, lead instructor for ISSA Yoga & Wellness Academy.
How to do it: Sit on the floor with both legs stretched out in front of you. Bend your left knee and cross it over your body, placing your left foot on the outside of your right knee. Bend your right knee, opening the knee to the right side, and sliding your right foot to rest by your left hip. Inhale to lift your chest, and as you exhale, hook your right elbow around your left knee. Place your left fingertips behind you and twist to the left. Make sure to twist from your gut, not with your neck, and hold for a few seconds, continuing to keep your spine tall. Repeat on the other side.
Why it works: A variation on knees-to-chest, Happy Baby “is an effective pose for helping to relieve gas and bloating,” Artymiak says, although he warns that “if you’re feeling extremely gassy, you might want to do this pose when you are by yourself.” It’ll help you relieve excess air in your abdomen, so yes, some flatulence is likely to happen. (It’s normal!)
How to do it: Lie on your back and draw your knees into your chest. Lift and flex your feet so that your shins perpendicular to your chest, with the soles of your feet facing the sky. Hold onto your outer shins or outer feet with your hands and gently draw your knees down to your armpits. From here, you can hold for a few seconds or gently rock side to side to massage the lower part of your back.
Why it works: “Any pose where you’re folded over your thighs will be helpful for elimination,” says Sarah Ezrin, a yoga teacher and author. Make sure to modify this forward fold as needed; you may choose to bend your knees in order to press your thighs into your belly, which will also lessen any strain in your back. “You can also roll a blanket and place it in between [your thighs and belly] for more pressure,” Ezrin says.
How to do it: Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Inhale and reach your arms up to the ceiling, stretching your digestive system long, then exhale as you fold your torso over your legs. Bend your legs if needed. From here, you can either grab your feet, shins, or knees, or rest your hands outside of your feet. You can also use a strap around your feet.
Why it works: “This pose stretches the kidney meridian, improving energy flow and helping the body process and filter fluids effectively,” Lombardo explains. This is a more challenging pose, so remember to modify with a strap as needed.
How to do it: Start lying flat on your back with your legs straight. Pull your right knee to your chest and hook your index and middle fingers around your big toe. If your legs are tighter, modify by grabbing your ankle or shin, or by looping a strap around your foot instead. Stretch your right leg up until it’s straight or almost straight, then drop it out to the right, keeping it straight all the while and continuing to hold on to your big toe (or your modified pose). Hold for a few seconds, then repeat on the other side.
Why it works: Inversions, or poses where your head is below your heart, “use gravity to promote circulation,” Lombardo says, which provides “a natural anti-inflammatory effect on bloated or sluggish organs.” Legs-up-the-wall is a popular inversion because it’s gentle, accessible, and ultra-relaxing. If you’re a more experienced practitioner, Lombardo also recommends a supported headstand.
How to do it: Place your mat perpendicular to a wall and lie down with your tailbone as close to the wall as you can get it. Lift and straighten your legs so your heels are resting against the wall while your torso and head lie flat on the mat. (It may be easier to start with your tailbone slightly farther from the wall, placing your feet up, then sliding closer.) Lie here for as long as is comfortable. You can also modify this pose by keeping your tailbone and torso farther from the wall, or bending your legs and placing them on the seat of a chair instead of the wall.
Why it works: Deep backbends like bridge pose or wheel pose (the more challenging variation) are great for digestion because they work to “create space in the abdomen,” Lombardo says. This allows your digestive organs “to move freely and function optimally.”
How to do it: Lie flat on your back on the mat with your knees bend and your ankles hips-width apart. Your ankles should be just far enough from your butt that you’re able to brush them with your fingertips. Drive through your heels to lift your butt and hips. Bring your hands together under your back, working your shoulders from side to side to get them there and arching your torso slightly in the process.
Before you go, check out these free yoga practices to try at home:
This article was originally published on sheknows.com.
I had heard that breastfeeding could be hard. Sure, lots of things are hard, I… Read More
Some kids may catch onto log division with ease but can't complete a worksheet with… Read More
Welp, we made it! Here we are in the final calendar month of the year,… Read More
One of my holiday-season secrets is that I like the time between holidays as much… Read More
A few weeks ago, I was invited on the inaugural sailing of the Disney Treasure,… Read More
There are some women who fly the “boy mom” flag high — they proudly include… Read More