Mimproves circulation, eliminates swelling from legs and feet and some even find it reduces anxiety. There Viparita-Karani, also called “half candle”, is the most social yoga position. Searching on TikTok, the hashtag #legsupthewall has over 25 million interactions while #legonwall exceeds 7 million. In short, the half candle is very popular “on the other social network”. And the revenge of a very simple yoga positionperfect for deflating the legs, practicable by many, suitable not only in summer but also in winter and with many benefits.
Yoga, deflate feet and legs with Viparita-Karani
With its restorative value for the extremities, the Viparita-Karani is one position that involves an inversion, i.e. the legs are lifted off the ground: «There are many variations, the most common and easy to perform is the supine position with the legs raised to 90°. It can also be performed leaning the ends against the wall, to make it easier, and also with a pillow placed under your back” explains Paola Miretta, personal trainer and yoga teacher.
The benefits of this particular position are many, first of all physical: «The semi-candle, as it is more easily called, allows you to lengthen the back column, and in general the entire back part of the body. The relief is immediate and it’s a lot suitable both for those with spinal problems and for those with back stiffness. It is no coincidence highly recommended for those who spend a lot of time standing or, vice versa, sitting all day».
What happens when you lift your legs off the ground
But why do we have all these benefits? What happens to the body? First of all, lift your legs it gives immediate relief because «it helps to lighten them. Not by chance, blood and lymph are pushed downwards, i.e. the upper part of the body, thus moving liquids from the extremities and facilitating drainage. This favors any deflation of the extremities, typical after a day spent constantly standing or sitting. Furthermore, energy is moved: this yoga position allows you to rebalancing personal energy throughout the body». For these benefits it is highly recommended after a long plane flightprecisely because you have been sitting a lot and the cabin pressure is not good for your legs and feet.
Not only that but even if the knees are slightly bent, the position still offers its benefits: the particular angle reduces the curve of the lumbar spine, relaxing the back muscles and in any case “pulling” the hamstrings which then stretch, feeling relief.
During Viparita-Karani, how are the arms positioned? And how does breathing work? «The arms are simply stretched and relaxed along the body. If desired, they can push towards their feet so as to also stretch their muscles. Breathing, on the other hand, is diaphragmatic, so as to relax completely».
Despite the many benefits However, it is not a suitable position for everyone: like all inversion systems, the heart works harder because it pumps more blood to the lower parts of the body it tends not to be recommended for those with heart problems unless after consulting your doctor. Furthermore, it should be avoided by those who have hernias, suffer from hypertension or have glaucoma.
A perfect position also to lower the level of anxiety
A benefit that is not physical but emotional and mental for those who practice the half candle is the reduction of anxiety and stress. Going down towards the upper part of the body, the blood allows better oxygenation to the brain, as well as a reduction in possible migraines and headaches. By pumping more blood, the brain will begin to slow the heart rate, relaxing the body and lowering any anxiety and stress levels.
By calmly and deeply performing diaphragmatic breathing, the vagus nerve and the parasympathetic nervous system are activated that is, that of relaxation, digestion and regeneration.
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