For ages, in India, yoga postures were used as a form of traditional medicine to cure things like indigestion and bloating. The following article will share 5 yoga poses that can help with bloating and indigestion as they focus on internally massaging the organs, and get the energy flowing properly. If you are experiencing bloating due to premenstrual symptoms, be sure to also check out our Yoga for Cramps and PMS relief.

5 Best Yoga Poses for Bloating and Indigestion

Child’s Pose: Relieves tension, helps with fatigue, and stimulates internal organs.

Woman in a restorative Child's Pose.

How to Get into This Pose:

  1. Start at a table top position.
  2. Open up your knees mat distance apart, bringing the big toes to touch and heels slightly apart.
  3. Drop your hips down to your heels, and extend your arms forward towards the front of your mat.
  4. Drop your chest and forehead down to the mat as well.
  5. Relax your shoulders away from the ears, relax your belly and allow your forehead to fully ground into the mat.
  6. Stay here for 10- 15 breaths (or longer if desired).
  7. To come out, slowly roll yourself up to a seated position.

Modification:

  • Place a pillow or bolster under your chest, and allow your chest to rest on top.
  • Roll up a blanket and place it underneath your ankles (if you are experiencing pain or discomfort).

Thread the Needle: Stretches the upper back, calms the mind, and stimulates digestive organs.

Woman in Thread the Needle pose for a gentle spinal twist and shoulder stretch.

How to get into this pose:

  1. Start at table top position, ensuring that your wrists are right under your shoulders, and your knees are right under the hips
  2. Take a deep inhale, bring you right arm up towards the ceiling, and on your exhale, thread the right arm under the left arm
  3. Bring your right ear on the mat, and rest your right shoulder on the ground
  4. You may keep your left arm in front of you or place it on your lower back (or find a bind)
  5. Stay here for 10-15 breaths and gently return back to table top and do the same thing on the opposite side

Modifications:

  • Place a blanket under your knees for extra cushion and support, if you are experiencing pain in your knees
  • Roll up a blanket and place it under your ankles for extra support
  • Bring a bolster or pillow under your chest for extra elevation

Extended Puppy / Melting Heart Pose: Stretches the spine and shoulders and stimulates internal organs.

Woman in Extended Puppy or Melting Heart Pose.

How to Get into this Pose:

  1. Start in table top position, with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips
  2. Keep your hips above your knees, and begin to walk your hands forward
  3. Bring your chest and chin as close to the ground as possible
  4. Relax the shoulders away from the ears, and tighten your core
  5. Stay here for 10-15 deep breaths
  6. To come out, gently press into your palms and walk your hands back into seated.
  7. Bring yourself into child’s pose, with the arms alongside your body as a counter pose.

Modifications:

  • Roll up a towel and place it under your ankles if your experiencing discomfort
  • Place a blanket or towel under your knees for extra support and cushion
  • Rest your chest on top of a pillow or bolster if you need extra elevation

Seated Spinal Twist: Promotes good digestion and strengthens the spine.

Woman performing a Seated Spinal Twist to aid digestion.

How to Get into this Pose:

  1. Start with both of your legs extended forward
  2. Bring your left over right – so that your foot aligns with your right knee
  3. Bend your right foot towards your left hip
  4. Keep both of your sitting bones grounded into your mat
  5. Place your left arm behind you and on your inhale extend your right arm up, and as you exhale, hook your right elbow to your left knee and twist your spine, gazing over your left shoulder
  6. Keep your back straight, your shoulders relaxing away from the ears and your chin over your left shoulder
  7. Stay in this position, breathing through the nose for 10-15 breaths
  8. Gently return back to center and twist to the opposite side as a counter pose.
  9. Repeat the same steps on the opposite side

Modifications:

  • Place a block, bolster or a pillow under your supporting hand for extra elevation, to ensure that both of your sitting bones are grounding into the mat
  • Extend one leg out in front of you if you are unable to bring the foot to your opposite hip in a seated position

Knees to Chest Pose: Balances digestion and helps with bowel movements.

Woman in Knees to Chest pose to relieve gas and bloating.

How to Get into this Pose:

  1. Begin by laying on your back
  2. Draw your knees to your chest and wrap your arms around them
  3. Take a deep inhale, lengthen your spine and on your exhale lift your head and shoulders up towards the knees
  4. Bring your forehead as close as you can towards the knees
  5. Stay here for 10-15 deep breaths through the nose and gently release your head and shoulders back on your mat and extend your legs out into corpse pose

Modification:

  • Keep one leg extended, and only bring one knee at a time towards the chest and follow the same instructions as above

Yoga for Bloating and Indigestion online class

If you interested in being guided through a yoga for bloating and indigestion class online, please click on the link below to our YouTube channel:

I hope you find this article helpful and that you feel better afterwards! If you enjoyed this quick read, please feel free to subscribe to the mailing list, this way you will receive notifications whenever we post something new.

From my heart to yours, Namaste!

Yana Thompson