Five Constipation Yoga Asanas In One Easy Routine

Here we build 5 simple constipation yoga asanas into an easy flow that can help with constipation.

Table of Contents

More and more I have noticed a growing interest among patients, family and friends about the use of yoga to improve constipation. With this in mind, I did a Google Scholar Literature Review in May of 2023 to identify the most evidence based yoga flows to improve constipation. This post will guide you through five easy constipation asanas in one simple yoga flow to help you hopefully start to find relief.

 

My review identified small studies supporting the use of yoga to improve constipation. Yoga is thought to reduce constipation through various pathways such as: (1) 

  • Stimulating bowel contraction
  • Promoting relaxation of sphincters throughout the gastrointestinal tract 
  • Releasing tension and anxiety
 

Easy yoga flow to help relieve constipation

For beginners with constipation seeking to try some yoga moves, I would recommend that you try starting with Laghoo Shankhaprakshalana (Short Intestinal Wash). This is a great flow that can easily be added to your morning routine. 

 

Even if you do not experience a bowel movement immediately after, a study found that patients doing the Short Intestinal Wash once a week for four weeks experienced significant improvement in their constipation symptoms in comparison to the control group. (2)

 

Note: Please remember to modify the recommended flow as needed, and you can always consult with a local yoga instructor for modification options.

 

One round involves drinking two glasses of warm salt water (two teaspoons of salt per one liter of water) and then doing the yoga flow. The yoga flow involves doing each asana eight times in the order below. The Short Intestinal Wash involves doing 3 rounds.

 

If you are unable or prefer not to drink the warm salt water, I would recommend that instead you focus on staying hydrated (consuming water as you usually would, drinking warm water over cold water if possible) as you move through the flow. 

 

Note: I recommend against drinking the warm salt water if you experience problems with body swelling / fluid retention or other problems for which a doctor often recommends a low salt diet – examples include but are not limited to patients struggling with high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems as well as liver or kidney problems.

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palm tree yoga pose illustration​

Palm Tree Pose

Tadasana

  • Stand with feet together or slightly apart.
  • Look at a point slightly above your eye level.
  • Raise your arms up, over your head, interlocking the fingers with the palms upward.
  • Inhale and stretch upward, raising your heels off the ground.
  • Hold your breath and the position for a few seconds.
  • Exhale as you lower your heels and bring your clasped hands to the top of your head.

Swaying Palm Tree Pose

Tiryak Tadasana

  • Spread your feet greater than shoulder width distance apart.
  • Look at a point at your eye level.
  • Raise your arms up, over your head, interlocking the fingers with the palms upward.
  • Inhale and stretch upward.
  • Exhale as you bend toward the right, holding this position for a few seconds.
  • Inhale as you return to the center.
  • Exhale as you bend toward the left, holding this position for a few seconds.
  • Inhale as you return to the center.
Swaying Palm Tree Yoga Pose illustration​
Waist rotating yoga pose illustration​

Waist Rotating Pose

Kati Chakrasana

  • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
  • Inhale as you raise your arms to shoulder level.
  • Exhale as you twist to the right and look over your right shoulder. You have the option to grasp your right shoulder with your left hand and bring your right arm behind your back, wrapping around to your left waist as you twist to look over your right shoulder.
  • Inhale as you return to center.
  • Exhale as you twist to the left and look over your left shoulder. You have the option to grasp your left shoulder with your right hand and bring your left arm behind your back, wrapping around to your right waist as you twist to look over your left shoulder.
  • Inhale as you return to center and place your arms at your sides.

Twisting Cobra Pose

Tiryak Bhujangasana

  • Lay on your stomach with your feet about 1.5 feet apart with your heels up and your toes touching the ground (toes can be resting flat on the ground or pressing into the ground). Place your palms flat on the floor, to the sides of your shoulders with your fingers together pointing forward. Rest your forehead on the floor and close your eyes.
  • Inhale as you lift from your back rather than your arms to raise your head, neck, and shoulders, straightening the elbows and raising the trunk to your comfort level. Keep your head facing forward.
  • Exhale and twist your head and upper trunk to look over your left shoulder at your right heel, bending your right arm as you do this. Hold this position for a few seconds.
  • Inhale and return to facing forward with the trunk raised.
  • Exhale and twist your head and upper trunk to look over your right shoulder at your left heel,  bending your left arm as you do this. Hold this position for a few seconds.
  • Inhale and return to facing forward, and then lower the body.
Twisting Cobra Yoga Pose​ Illustration
Abdominal stretch yoga-pose illustration​

Abdominal Stretch Pose

Udarakarshanasana

  • Squat with your hands on your knees and your feet apart.
  • Inhale and then exhale as you bring the right knee down toward the left foot, setting the right knee on the ground. If comfortable you can also place the right inner side of the foot on the ground.
  • Push the left knee forward, toward the right knee as you twist the upper body to look over the left shoulder. Inhale and hold this position for a few seconds.
  • Exhale, returning to the starting squat. Repeat on the other side.

Advanced yoga flow to to cleanse the entire digestive tract:

 

A more advanced version of this flow is called Shankhaprakshalana (Cleansing of the Entire Digestive Tract) (3,4) 

 

One round involves drinking two glasses of warm salt water and then doing the five asanas, eight times each, in the order above. You are recommended to start going to the bathroom after the third round and then each round thereafter (i.e. after the third round, sit on the toilet and do not strain, if no bowel movement, then leave the bathroom and do another round, returning to the bathroom after the fourth round, and then again after the fifth round, etc). 

 

If you are going to try the Cleansing of the Entire Digestive Tract (doing the rounds until your stools are clear liquid), then Yoga practice recommends that you rest for 45 minutes after completing the final round – consider Shavasana (Corpse Pose).

 

Studies supporting the use of Yoga to improve constipation

 

The following is a quick rundown of the research I found that supports using yoga to help relieve constipation:

 

  • A few small studies suggest that a yoga flow like Shankhaprakshalana (Cleansing of the Entire Digestive Tract) can clear the bowels as effectively as a colonoscopy bowel prep! (3,5,6,7) By no means am I recommending you do yoga instead of a standard bowel prep prescribed by your physician, but, if you are up for it, working a simple similar flow like the Short Intestinal Wash above into your daily bowel goals may be helpful. Additionally, data suggests that the Shankhaprakshalana flow helps patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) with Constipation (86% of patients reporting relief in a qualitative study). (4) 
 
  • A small group of patients with chronic constipation who attended a week away at an Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy (IAYT) program reported improvement in symptoms. The details of the IAYT program are not included, but the general overview suggest that patients daily routines at the program involved yoga, consuming a healthy diet, exposure to nature and counseling sessions. (8) 
 
  • A 75 minute yoga intervention administered to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged 5 to 16 years old and their parents from 9:30AM to 10:45 AM prior to school for 90 days showed improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms questions, including but not limited to digestion and bowel movements.(9) The article reports general categories of a flow, and a review article mentioning this study, presents a more detailed flow option presented here.(10)
 

A review article suggested Halasana (Plough Pose) may be helpful in treating constipation. (11) 

 

With all of this in mind, incorporating some if not all of these yoga poses to relieve constipation could be helpful in improving your bowel movements. I recommend starting by picking a few days of the week to set aside 5 to 15 minutes in the morning to try a couple of postures or flows. From there you can build to increase your frequency to daily or increase the time spent. Let us know what you like or if there are other yoga moves you are interested in hearing more about. 

 

With that, I wish you all the best in trying these yoga moves to get the bowels moving!

 

For additional information or a personalized treatment plan, please do not hesitate to sign-up for a counseling session!

 

All the best & namaste,

Dr. Nicole

Research References

  1. Chang L, Chey WD, Imdad A, et al. American Gastroenterological Association-American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Practice Guideline: Pharmacological Management of Chronic Idiopathic Constipation. Am J Gastroenterol 2023; 118(6):936-954.

  2. Kiran S, Sapkota S, Shetty P, and Honnegowda TM. Effect of Yogic Colon Cleansing (Laghu Sankhaprakshalana Kriya) on Bowel Health in Normal Individuals. Yoga Mimamsa 2019; 51:26-30.

  3. Saraswati, SS. Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha. Published by Bihar School of Yoga in 1969. Most recently reprinted by Yoga Publications Trust in 2017. Munger, Bihar, India.

  4. Singh SN, Jaiswal V, and Maurya SP. “Shankha Prakshalana” (Gastrointestinal Lavage) in Health and Disease. Ancient Science of Life 1988; 3:157-163.

  5. Chouhan MI, Panigrahi MK, Manik R, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Shankha Prakshalana, a Yogic Technique versus Polyethylene Glycol Solution for Bowel Preparation in Colonoscopy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Gastroenterol 2021; 116 ():p S86.

  6. Arya V, Gupta KA, and Swarn AV. Efficacy of bolus lukewarm saline and yoga postures as colonoscopy preparation: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med 2010; 16(12):1269-77.

  7. Kumar R and Kumari S. Review on Laghu Shankha Prakshalana/Shankha Prakshalana: A Safe and Effective  Yogic Technique for Hypertension, Obesity, Constipation, Back Pain, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome by Targeting Bowel. IJSR 2023; 12(1).

  8. Rao J, Metri KG, Singh A, and Nagaratna R. Effect of Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy on Chronic Constipation. Voice of Research 2016; 5(1):23-26.

  9. Narasingharao K, Pradhan B, and Navaneetham J. Efficacy of Structured Yoga Intervention for Sleep, Gastrointestinal and Behaviour Problems of ASD Children: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research 2017; 11(3)VC01-VC06.

  10. Setia G, Bhavanani AB, and Ramanathan M. Yoga for Gastrointestinal Problems in Children with Special Needs. Souvenir of the National Seminar and Workshop on Divyanga Yoga: A Yogic approach to children with special needs. International Day of Yoga celebrations. Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry. 13-24 June 2019. Pg 91-92.

  11. Rani S. Obesity and its Control through Yogic Practices. IJPESH 2017; 4(1):82-84.

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