HEADSTANDS 101
The ups and downs of being upsidedown
Headstand (Shirsasana, or Salamba Shirsasana) is a popular yoga pose often referred to as ‘the king of asanas’ due to its many physiological and mental benefits.
It is considered to be one of the fundamental postures of a Hatha Yoga practice as it is tremendously beneficial for the body and mind to invert (when done safely).
However, a lot of yoga practitioners are scared to practice invertions such as headstands. They are worried they might harm their neck, fall down, or have any other belief that prevents them to face their fear of getting upsidedown. Naturally, scared or not, many students have asked about the benefits of a headstand. They are completely right to ask. Why should one turn their whole body upside down?
This blog will provide you with a comprehensive list of why and how to introduce the upsidedown world to your practice. Along with information on who should avoid practicing headstand, wether or not to practice with a wall and a tutorial of how to get into the pose safely.
So let’s get into it.
Some of the benefits of practicing headstand are:
Brings healthy, pure bloodflow through the braincells.
Improving the body’s ability to maintain homeostasis by stimulation of the nervous system (homeostasis is the body's tendency to monitor and maintain internal states, such as temperature and blood sugar, at fairly constant and stable levels).
Providing conditioning to the brain, eyes, and ears
Improving the functioning of the central nervous system.
Improving the body’s capability to regulate blood pressure by stimulation of the baroreceptors. Baroreceptors are sensors located in specific areas of the body. These sensors measure your bloodpressure and send signals to your brain to bring your bloodpressure up or down when necessary. By moving into headstand and therefore reversing your bloodpressure on a regular basis, you trigger these receptors to be more sharp and therefore more precise in the regulation of your bloodpressure.
Giving rest to the heart by reversing blood pressure temporarily.
Improving body posture.
Stimulating the functioning of the pineal, hypothalamus, and pituitary glands. This helps in better functioning and co-ordination of all the endocrine glands.
Strengthening the back, shoulder, and arm muscles.
Improving blood and lymph circulation
Improving digestion and elimination functions by releasing pressure on the colon.
A common misconception about headstand is that it is an advanced, hard to master pose. Whereas actually, headstand can be taught in beginners classes as well. don’t get me wrong: it took me a months to get my first headstand. Still, it is definitely not an advanced asana. Here is why:
When standing on the feet, we need no extra effort, strength or attention to stay upright. For the position is natural.
However, the correct method of standing (Ex: posture) affects our bearing and carriage.
Just as a baby or child has to master the correct method of standing without falling down, in headstand/shirsasana also, the correct position should be mastered. Once you get there, the classical headstand will become a beautiful, relaxing position to find yourself in. Activating the parasympathetic nervoussystem and all the benefits that come with that.
There are however, some restrictions regarding the safety of who should or should not practice shirsasana.
One should not practice headstand in any of the following circumstances:
Children under the age of 7 as their skulls have not been fully fused yet. Their skull is not hard enough, which makes them prone to injury.
When pregnant (inverting yourself is of no danger to your baby. However, falling out of the pose for any reason can be dangerous)
If you suffer from glaucoma, you should avoid headstand as it can increase the pressure of the eyes.
If you suffer from acute headaches or severe migraines
People with shoulder and neck injuries should also avoid practising Headstands till the injury has completely healed
People with hypertension
People with severe cardiac problems
Headstand should also be avoided by people suffering from osteoporosis.
So, let’s say you do not have any of these conditions and want to practice your headstand. How long should you hold one for?
This is something that has been debated widely among different yoga teachers. Some yoga teachers say you should hold it for a maximum of 2 minutes, some say hold it for 3 to 5 minutes and others say to not practice headstand at all.
Basically, the ancient Hatha Yoga texts suggest one common thing: Headstand can be held for any amount of time as long as it is steady and comfortable and no excess effort is used to stay in the posture. If your arms, back, or neck start to get tired please safely come out of the pose. Gradually with practice, you will be able to hold the pose steadily and comfortably for longer periods of time.
Another much debated topic related to headstands is wether or not to practice it with a wall.
When practicing your shirsasana against the wall, falling out of the headstand instantly becomes more dangerous. You can stub your toe against the wall and hurt it, move your neck in an unhealthy way as you fall into the wall or something similar.
Besides the danger of injuring yourself by falling against the wall, another major reason to not practice with a wall is that, when leaning against the wall, it becomes physically impossible to engage the right muscles you need for an actual headstand. By getting support from the wall, your body might stay upsidedown longer than it can actually take. Which can lead to injury. Another thing is that you will most likely create an extreme curve in your lumbar spine (often referred to as banana back) which is not sustainable for longer holds either.
Something more psychological rather than physical is that when practicing with a wall, it is possible to become dependant on it. Some people develop a fear of doing headstand without a wall, when they are so used to doing it with one.
With the right alignment and proper build-up (without the wall, to avoid excessive holding), the benefits of headstand can be achieved. People with any neck or shoulder issues, such as whiplash or hernia, however, should avoid the pose.
In conclusion, shirsasana is a beneficial yoga pose as long as it is practised safely and held for the right duration of time (as mentioned above). This yoga pose should not cause unhealthy mental or physical stress. Ideally, one should learn how to headstand from a certified yoga teacher who has proper understanding of the asana and who knows exactly what they are doing. Once you grasp the basics of the asana, you can practice at home.
I have made a short 10 minute video with instructions, trouble shooting, and more. This tutorial is available for you right at the bottom of this article.
Enjoy your shirsasana!
with love,
Elle