Legs Up the Wall Pose

by Nina

More than twenty years ago I took a workshop on the physiology of inverted poses from Iyengar Yoga teacher and sleep scientist Roger Cole that was a revelation. It all had to do with our baroreceptors, which are sensors located above our hearts and in our necks, and how they respond when we’re upside down or partly upside, causing us to calm down and relax.

I’ve been explaining what I learned from him ever since, both in my own workshops and in writing on the blog and in books. I’ve always think it’s worth understanding WHY supported inverted poses are calming because this knowledge can help you appreciate the effectiveness of these poses and also how to use them.

I later learned from Roger Cole that your head position in reclined and seated poses can increase or decrease the calming effects of the poses. This, too, is related to your baroreceptors.

Because I’ve recently been asked to explain about “baroreceptors” and yoga in some interviews and presentations I’ve done, I thought this would be a good time provide you with overview of the topic and includes links to all the articles we have on the blog about baroreceptors and the baroreflex.

I’ll start by discussing baroreceptors and supported inverted poses and then provide a short overview regarding baroreceptors and head position. The related articles are at the end of the post.

Supported Inverted Poses and Your Baroreceptors

In his original workshop, Roger explained that our bodies regulate our blood pressure based on our posture. That’s because when we’re standing or sitting up we need to be alert and ready for action, and when we’re lying down it’s time to either sleep or relax. So, when you sit or stand up after lying down, your body raises your blood pressure and stimulates your nervous system to prepare you for activity. And when you lie down, your body lowers your blood pressure, reduces your stress hormones, and calms you down because it’s time to either sleep or relax.

Our bodies know what “posture” we are in because of internal sensors, called baroreceptors, that are located in the artery above our hearts (the aortic arch) and in the main arteries at the sides of our neck (the carotid arteries). When blood flows away from your baroreceptors because your head is above your heart, they signal your brain and nervous system that it’s time to raise your blood pressure and ready you to take physical or mental action. And when blood flows toward your baroreceptors because your head is at around the same level as your heart, they signal your brain and nervous system that it’s time to lower your blood pressure and move you toward relaxation. This is called the baroreflex.

The wonderful thing is what happens when you do a yoga pose that is inverted (your head is below your heart). Because gravity causes even more blood to flow toward your heart and neck than would if you were lying flat, your baroreceptors send a stronger signal to your brain and nervous system. So, your body more strongly lowers your blood pressure, reduces your stress hormones, and moves you toward relaxation than when you are just lying flat. Your position alone moves you into a deep state of relaxation!

And the poses in which this baroreflex takes effect include both partial inversions where your heart is higher than your head but your legs are below your heart, such as Supported Standing Forward Bend and Supported Bridge pose, as well as full inversions where your heart is higher than your head and your legs are above your heart, such as Supported Shoulderstand and Supported Legs Up the Wall pose. It’s generally best to do these poses with support because you do need to be comfortable in the pose, feel safe, and able to stay in the pose for a long hold to get the full effects. See All About Supported Inversions for a list of possibilities.

The relaxing effects of being upside down don’t take place immediately, however. I don’t know of any scientific studies on this, but I’ve found it takes about 7 to 8 minutes for me to feel the full effects. So for practice during difficult times, I suggest 10 to 20 minutes of practice so you relax completely and remain in that state for a good while. You can either do a single very comfortable pose, such as Supported Bridge pose or Supported Legs Up the Wall pose, for 10 to 20 minutes. Or you can do a series of poses for shorter times that add up to a total of 10 to 20 minutes, moving from one pose to another slowly and carefully to keep stimulation to a minimum.

Caution: Because going upside down causes blood to rush toward your head, inverted poses are not recommended for people with high blood pressure, glaucoma and other eye conditions, and other medical problems for which being upside down is contraindicated. However, gentle inverted poses, such as a low Supported Bridge pose may be fine. If you have any concerns, I suggest you discuss this with your doctor before practicing them.

Head Position and Your Baroreceptors

After that first workshop, I later learned from Roger about the effect of head position in reclined and seated poses on your baroreceptors. As I said above, some of your baroreceptors are located in main arteries at the sides of you neck (your carotid arteries). So when your neck is flexed (the position when your chin is pointing toward your chest), the position puts some pressure on the baroreceptors in your carotid arteries. And this pressure can cause the same response as an inverted pose does on your nervous system—switching you to the relaxation response. The opposite neck position with your neck in extension (a backbend position with your chin tipping away from your chest) can have the opposite effective, stimulating your nervous system.

This is when you’re lying on your back in Savasana or a restorative pose, it’s important to support your head so you can easily tip your chin toward your chest. (For most people, your chin may tip away from your chest when you don’t support your head—that’s true for me.)

This is also why when you do a pose where you heart is higher than your head but your neck is also deeply flexed due to the pose (examples are Supported Shoulderstand and Supported Bridge Pose), this enhances the relaxing effect of the pose.

For seated positions, you might just ensure that your chin is level and not tipping backward. (I can’t tell you how many stock photos I’ve seen where people are “meditating” with the head’s thrown back.) And, of course, if you practice Jalandara Bandha when you do pranayama, that head position will enhance the quieting effects of the practice when you do a calming breath practice.

See More Love for Baroreceptors: Supporting Your Head in Restorative Poses for more information about head position and baroreceptors.

Related Articles

Why You Should Love Your Baroreceptors by Nina is an older post that describes the basic mechanisms of how supported inverted poses trigger the baroreflex.

More Love for Baroreceptors: Supporting Your Head in Restorative Poses by Nina addresses the relationship between head position in reclined and seated positions and baroreceptors.

Friday Q&A: Carotid Artery Stents, Baroreceptors, and Inverted Poses by Baxter addresses concerns about baroreceptors and inverted poses for those who have stents.

How to Make Your Forward Bends Comfortable and Soothing by Nina is about why it is possible that seated forward bends might trigger the baroreflex.

Blood Pressure: Talking about Baroreceptors and Yoga by Nina and Shari Ser is about how the baroreflex and yoga might help lower blood pressure.

Roger Cole on the Baroreflex! by Nina includes a video of Roger Cole, the yoga teacher and sleep scientist from whom Nina learned about baroreceptors, discussing the baroreflex and demonstrating how to practice Supported Bridge pose to trigger the baroreflex.

 

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