Here’s a fact. Surya Namaskar is a holistic workout that can be your stepping stone towards ensuring mind-body wellness. The benefits of surya namaskar are not only limited to your physical health. In fact, this ancient practice can help improve your posture, foster mental clarity, strengthen your muscles, and do much more. Join us as we throw light on the importance of surya namaskar to experience the harmony of mind, body and spirit.

What is Surya Namaskar?

Surya namaskar, also referred to as sun salutation is a series of yoga poses that are performed in a harmonious flow to sync breath and movement. Offering prayers to the Sun has been seen as the ultimate source of life and energy in different cultures since ancient times. It consists of 12 different poses or steps that represent a specific moment in the sun’s journey.

With International Yoga Day around the corner, learn what are the different asanas performed in a sun salutation and the top sun salutation benefits in detail.

20 Benefits of Surya Namaskar

Be it weight management, better flexibility, improved heart rate or skin health, there are various advantages of sun salutation that make it a holistic workout. While there are a 100 surya namaskar benefits, let's throw light on the top 20 benefits of surya namaskar that you should know:

1. Helps Manage a Healthy Weight
2. Increases Flexibility
3. Prevents Hair Loss
4. Improves Blood Circulation
5. Makes Your Skin Glow
6. Provides Mental Clarity & Relaxation
7. Balances Hormones
8. Improves Respiratory Health
9. Helps in Detoxification
10. Raises the Heart Rate
11. Boosts Digestion
12. Strengthens Muscles and Joints
13. Enhances Sleep Quality
14. Boosts Immunity
15. Increases Energy Levels
16. Improves Concentration and Focus
17. Boosts Confidence
18. Enhances Body Awareness
19. Promotes Discipline
20. Creates a Sense of Inner Peace

1. Helps Manage a Healthy Weight

Since surya namaskar engages different muscles of the body and helps burn calories, it is an extremely effective exercise for managing a healthy weight. You can also harness the surya namaskar benefits for weight loss with regular practice and foster a healthier metabolism.

2. Increases Flexibility

Surya namaskar is an excellent way to foster better flexibility as it includes fluid motions that include stretching and strengthening your muscles. Moreover, regularly practising sun salutation can help increase joint mobility and help you get a more agile body.

3. Improves Blood Circulation

Another advantage of surya namaskar is that it promotes a rhythmic flow of breath that also enhances blood circulation. This is because it helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to cells while aiding waste removal.

4. Prevents Hair Loss

Since sun salutation helps improve blood circulation, it can help nourish your hair follicles and reduce hair loss. Thus, to revitalise your scalp and strengthen the hair strands, practising sun salutation every day can be extremely beneficial.

5. Makes Your Skin Glow

If you wish to get bright and glowing skin, start doing surya namaskar every day. Why? This is because this exercise induces a natural glow by promoting blood circulation and detoxification. So, start your day with surya namaskar and get healthy and radiant skin.

6. Provides Mental Clarity & Relaxation

Did you know surya namaskar is an exercise that promotes mind-body wellness? It not only has physical advantages but also reduces stress and promotes mental clarity. The combination of breathwork and physical movement enhances your overall well-being and induces a state of relaxation.

7. Balances Hormones

Sun salutation can also help balance your hormones and enhance your overall hormonal health. This is because the mindful synchronisation of breath and movement supports the endocrine function and contributes to a hormonal equilibrium.

8. Improves Respiratory Health

Since deep breathing is an important part of surya namaskar, it can help enhance lung capacity and contribute towards respiratory wellness. This is why surya namaskar benefits your respiratory system and promotes oxygenation.

9. Helps in Detoxification

The dynamic 12 poses of surya namaskar benefits the digestive system by encouraging the elimination of toxins from the body. In addition, surya namaskar also helps stimulate various organs to aid the detoxification process.

10. Raises the Heart Rate

Finally, another benefit of doing surya namaskar is that it raises the heart rate and provides a complete cardiovascular workout that helps strengthen the heart and create endurance. Start practicing surya namaskar every day and improve your heart health and overall fitness.

11. Boosts Digestion

The twisting and stretching movements in Surya Namaskar help massage the internal organs, including the digestive system. This can stimulate digestive juices and improve bowel movement, promoting overall gut health.

12. Strengthens Muscles and Joints

Sun salutation benefits by targeting various muscle groups, promoting strength and flexibility in the arms, legs, core, and back. This improved strength translates to better posture and support for your joints throughout the day.

13. Enhances Sleep Quality

The combination of physical activity and deep breathing in Surya Namaskar can help reduce stress and anxiety, which are known sleep disruptors. Regularly practising this sequence can lead to a deeper, more restful sleep.

14. Boosts Immunity

By promoting overall well-being, reducing stress, and improving circulation, Surya Namaskar may help strengthen your immune system. A strong immune system is better equipped to fight off illness and keep you healthy.

15. Increases Energy Levels

The gentle stretching and flowing movements of Surya Namaskar asanacan improve blood circulation and oxygen flow throughout the body. This can leave you feeling energised and revitalised, ready to tackle your day.

16. Improves Focus and Concentration

The mindful breathing exercises incorporated into Surya Namaskar can help calm the mind and improve focus. This can be beneficial for students, professionals, or anyone who needs to concentrate throughout the day.

17. Boosts Confidence

One of the many Surya Namaskar benefits you need to know about is how the feeling of accomplishment after completing a Surya Namaskar sequence can lead to increased confidence.

18. Enhances Body Awareness

Surya Namaskar requires coordinated movements and positions. This practice helps you become more aware of your body and its limitations, allowing you to refine your movements and improve overall body control.

19. Promotes Discipline

One of the many benefits of doing Surya Namaskar every day is that it can help instil discipline, which can be beneficial in various other areas of one’s life.

20. Creates a Sense of Inner Peace

The combination of physical movement, deep breathing, and focus can create a sense of inner peace and relaxation, yet another benefitof doing surya namaskar daily.

What are the Different Poses in Surya Namaskar?

Here are the 12 different asanas that are performed as part of the sun salutation. It is important to perform each pose perfectly to harness the surya namaskar benefits and live a healthier life.

Step 1: Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)

Step 2: Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms Pose)

Step 3: Hasta Padasana (Hand to Foot Pose)

Step 4: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose)

Step 5: Dandasana (Stick Pose)

Step 6: Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with Eight Parts)

Step 7: Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Step 8: Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)

Step 9: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose - Repeat)

Step 10: Hasta Padasana (Hand to Foot Pose - Repeat)

Step 11: Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms Pose - Repeat)

Step 12: Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Surya Namaskar Benefits for Ladies

While there are a wide range of benefits of surya namaskar for everyone, it can have some specific advantages for women. The surya namaskar benefits for ladies include regulating the menstrual cycle as well as reducing the period pain and cramps. Thus, for women who struggle with imbalanced menstrual cycles and other hormonal issues, surya namaskar can be an excellent workout.