Yoga is an ancient form of exercise and meditation that originated in India about 5000 years ago. Yoga has numerous benefits while trekking.

Since the exercise primarily focuses on strength, flexibility, and breathing to boost physical and mental wellbeing. It is very beneficial to make your mind and body fit to climb higher altitudes.

Nowadays, yoga is practiced all over the world by people of various age groups. It has a great advantage and helps you stick to a goal. Therefore, it has benefits for travelers seeking adventure as well.

Here, we are going to discuss the various yoga benefits while trekking.

Helps to adapt to the surroundings

Travelers go on a long journey to different beautiful places in Nepal with different topography, climate, altitude, etc. Our body finds it difficult to adapt to this new environment suddenly.

In such cases, yoga becomes very useful. It helps us to adapt quickly to such an environment. Basic stretching and breathing techniques help you acclimatize to higher altitudes and start the journey. Yoga improves the strength, balance, and flexibility of the body.

Also, pre-hike warm-up helps to calm your body and mind, which reduces chances of muscle cramping, soreness, etc.

Yoga helps to increase lung capacity

Oxygen levels are low on high-altitude trekking trails. Therefore, many travelers suffer from breathlessness, altitude sickness, fatigue, etc. It becomes hard for trekkers to continue the journey. Yoga comes in handy in such conditions too.

Several breathing techniques in yoga help you keep calm and preserve energy for a longer duration. It also helps to increase lung capacity and maintain oxygen levels in the body.

Eventually, the body adapts to the surrounding environment, making it easier for trekkers to continue the journey. Therefore, yoga is the best indoor fitness activity to do while traveling.

Beneficial to relieve body pain while trekking

Yoga is recommended as a first-line treatment for chronic low back pain. Many travelers suffer from back pain because they have to walk for a long time carrying weights or backpacks. In those conditions, too, yoga is helpful.

All you need to do is keep your body in simple yet effective postures, which help reduce the pain and provide relief. It helps to maintain energy and bring brighter moods.

Strengthens your confidence in Trek

Confidence is very important during trekking. Many travelers are afraid to travel because they lack confidence and are unaware of their true potential.

Beginner hikers do not know about the various underlying capabilities of their bodies. Yoga helps to discover such potentials and make optimum use of them. Yoga also comes in handy for women hiking alone. It helps to discover yourself and your capabilities, which boosts your confidence.

Yoga helps to manage stress.

Various studies show that yoga is effective in managing stress. Fresh problems can arise while trekking and hiking and we should solve them in a calm and composed way.

Here, yoga helps you to keep calm and composure in every circumstance and brings clarity. It makes you relaxed and helps you sleep better after a long and difficult journey.

Simple yoga postures to try while traveling in Nepal

The aforementioned advantages are some of the various other benefits of yoga for trekkers. Now we are going to discuss some simple daily yoga routines, various yoga postures, and breathing techniques you can practice during your trekking journey in Nepal.

If you want to be a yoga teacher, you can always have yoga teacher training in Nepal.

Anulom Vilom

Anulom Vilom is a basic breathing technique in yoga. The simple yoga breathing exercise helps reduce breathlessness and increase lung capacity. First, sit in a crossed-legged position. Then, inhale your first breath through your left nostril with a closed right nostril.

Again, release the breath through the right nostril while closing the left nostril. Last, inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril. Repeat these steps for a couple of minutes, slowly increasing the number of repetitions.

There are many benefits to Anulom Vilom pranayam while trekking. Every age group of trekkers can do this breathing yoga practice. This is a simple yoga practice for kids as well. Don’t forget to try this early in the morning; it also helps to manage stress and relieves headaches.

Savasana (Corpse Posture)

Savasana is an easy body posture technique where you lie down facing the sky and stretch your limbs and palms. It helps to clear the mind and take deep breaths.

Similarly, Savasana helps relieve mild depression, control high blood pressure, mild headaches, fatigue, and the inability to sleep. You may find difficulty sleeping in a new environment in the mountains. Hence, Savasana yoga helps you sleep after a long, difficult trekking journey.

Cat-cow Pose

Cat-cow is a simple yoga technique that comes in handy while trekking as it helps to stretch and mobilize the spine. Yoga also helps to stretch your torso, shoulders, and neck. All you need to do is place your wrist underneath your shoulders and your knee underneath your hips.

Then, inhale as you look up and let your stomach drop towards the floor. Exhale when you tuck your chin into your chest. Try this technique for at least a minute.

In a nutshell, there are many benefits of yoga while trekking and hiking as it increases strength and stamina. Also, it is simple and easy to practice.

Therefore, we recommend you try the above yoga postures while trekking. These techniques not only help you complete the journey but also have benefits in your daily life.