Yoga may be one of the greatest forms of exercise in the world. Unlike other physical activities, yoga simultaneously heals your body and your mind, and promotes harmony between the two. Furthermore, yoga is amazing because almost anyone can do it – even those with physical limitations – without any special equipment or props. Sometimes, however, using a prop helps you attain or maintain a difficult yoga posture. Yoga pillows are a great addition to nearly every yoga practice.
Benefits of Using Yoga Pillows
Yoga pillows, also known as yoga bolsters, provide a number of benefits that make yoga easier and more effective. Using yoga pillows correctly also provides benefits. For best results, for example, use the pillow on top of a large yoga mat.
Here are just a few of the benefits of using yoga pillows.
Supports your body
Yoga pillows support your body while you perform yoga poses, also known as asanas. Complicated poses can be tricky and sometimes painful. These pillows help simplify asanas and ease pain by supporting the correct alignment of your body throughout each pose. You can use the pillow in a wide variety of positions, including below your knees, legs, neck, and hips. The support of yoga pillows are especially helpful if you are a beginner or have limited mobility.
Improves your posture
Using proper posture prevents muscle tension and injuries, which can be serious. Proper posture also helps you get the most out of each yoga session.
Maintaining good posture is difficult with some yoga asanas, particularly if you are practicing by yourself. When you attend a yoga class, your instructor watches over you to ensure you are using proper posture. When you practice at home, though, you have to maintain your own good posture and this is where a yoga pillow comes in handy.
Relieves stress and tension
Restorative poses help melt tension and alleviate stress by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Using yoga pillows as support can help provide greater stimulation of the nervous system to relieve stress on a deeper level.
Improves blood circulation
Using a yoga pillow helps stimulate blood flow, which provides your organs with fresh, oxygenated blood and carries away toxins. Place the pillow lengthwise under your spine, chest, or shoulders, where it encourages your body to open up.
Reduces swelling and inflammation
Sitting or standing in one position for too long can cause stiffness and swelling. Yoga helps get your blood flowing and your joints moving in ways that combat creakiness and inflammation – and yoga pillows helps you move through each pose more freely and with better body posture.
Improves metabolism
Using yoga pillows during poses that fold or twist your abdomen can stimulate digestion and improve your metabolism. Practicing these asanas with pillows regularly may even help you lose weight.
Choosing a Yoga Pillow
Choosing a yoga pillow is an important decision – there is a seemingly endless variety of products on the market these days. The five main considerations when selecting a pillow are size, shape, weight, filling and color or pattern. Some pillows are much larger than are others, so choose one that is large enough to provide support but small enough to manage. Weight is an issue if you plan to carry your pillow to yoga class. Pillows come in a variety of shapes, including cylindrical and rectangular. You may need to try pillows of different shapes to determine which is best for your particular needs.
Manufacturers fill their yoga pillows with a variety of fillers, and each type of filler lends a different property to the yoga pillow. Recron is a specially engineered hollow polyester fiber that creates a soft, lightweight and comfortable pillow, for example, and buckwheat hulls create a durable, natural alternative to more synthetic filling materials.
The materials used inside the pillow and outside should match your needs too. Are you a vegan who is looking for products that match your values? Vegan Action, the world-renowned organization that certifies products as vegan-friendly, has certified Crystal Cove Yoga Cushions as 100% vegan. This means the Crystal Cove Yoga Cushions collection are free from feathers, wool, down, and other animal products, and that their byproducts have never been tested on animals. These yoga pillows are perfect for those who practice a vegan lifestyle and are looking for products that align with their values.
A yoga pillow may be the best thing you can do to get the most out of your yoga practice. For more information about yoga pillows, speak with a yoga instructor or ask your friends.