Yoga Safety Information

There are a few things to take under careful consideration before you begin your Yoga session. Safety is vitally important in Yoga and especially so when you are doing these exercises at home unsupervised by a professional tutor.

Before you consider starting any Yoga regime you should be aware that most common Yoga postures are not designed for people with the following conditions:

• Cancer or Benign Tumours
• Detached retina
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy including petit mal
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• HIV
• Meniere’s disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
• Physical handicaps
• Pregnancy
• Recent post-operative conditions

In these cases it is preferred that you practice Yoga under the supervision of a professional and experienced Yoga trainer.  There are also some basic guidelines to follow before you begin your Yoga practice at home to ensure it is a wholly safe experience.

1. Always wait 4-5 hours after consuming a large meal and 2-3 hours after a snack before you begin your Yoga session. You may need to plan ahead carefully to avoid doing your Yoga too early after eating.
2. Make sure you visit the bathroom before you begin.
3. Wear loose fitted clothing that you can easily move around in and bare feet to do your Yoga session in.
4. Try to work on a non slip mat or floor in a reasonably comfortable room. The floor should not be too cold for your bare feet.
5. Prepare neatly folded blankets before you begin your Yoga session as creases can disrupt your practice.
6. Ensure you remember to remove hard contact lenses.
7. Consult a professional if you experience any difficulties during your Yoga session. Avoid straining your body and if you cannot do a posture without discomfort, move on to another one instead.

There are also some special notes to consider about the postures themselves before you begin your Yoga sessions. Make sure you are completely familiar with Yoga safety and follow this article thoroughly to avoid any at home exercise mishaps.

• Ease yourself from one position to another during Yoga. Do not quickly jump up or move too quickly especially if you have a bad back.
• Don’t strain your knees when trying to straighten them out. You need to avoid straining as much as possible.
• Don’t hold your breath, this can be counter productive, slowing your blood flow and reducing the oxygen to the brain and the body causes muscle distress.
• Don’t put any strain on the throat or the abdomen; keep these areas loose and relaxed.
• Make sure the pressure is off the lower back and use folded towels for support. As you become more flexible the height of the towels can gradually become reduced.
• Do not force leg movements or strain the legs whilst sitting down. Carefully extend them taking care not to cause any discomfort.
• For twists, sit on folded blankets to raise the spine. This will allow you to twist the full way.
• While twisting don’t forget to keep the tension out of the abdomen area.
• Avoid inverted postures during menstruation, there are separate Menstruation friendly postures you can do instead.
• None of the postures should be uncomfortable. If you feel pressure on the neck or head adjust your towels or move on to the next position instead.
• Seek advice before attempting any Yoga if you have suffered from head or neck injuries in the past or if you have any conditions that affect the brain, eyes or ears.