Inversions like handstands and headstands are some of yoga’s apex poses. A lot of people think they are incredibly difficult but these are poses that a novice can pick up easily with the right guidance and practice.

These upside-down poses also have many super-powerful benefits for our bodies and mind. So much so that you will want to immediately incorporate them into your daily routine.

Read on to find out all the amazing benefits of headstands and inversions in general.

Inversions Can Make you Taller and Improve Posture

More surprising benefits of headstands are that they can make you taller. Going upside down reverses the effect of gravity on our spine, thus stretching it out.

This “subluxation” of our spine not only feels really good but is helping put more space in between our vertebras. People who do headstands can be taller on average by 1.25″ to 1.5″.

This stretching of the spine against gravity also improves our posture. It puts our spine into an optimal natural position and over time can correct bad posture.

Headstands Lower Blood Pressure

Inversions are known to lower your blood pressure. This can be a great practice for people who are looking to have a healthier heart. When going upside down, blood pressure slightly elevates for the first 10 – 20 seconds, and then lowers and evens out.

This also triggers the “rest and digest” response, which makes you very calm and at ease.

People who do inversions describe a sense of peace after practicing these poses.

Can Help Your Body Deal with Stress Better

Inversions like handstands and headstands can help our body deal with stress on a molecular level because inversions are initially stressful on the body.

When we invert, our body is flooded with stress hormones. Giving our body this small dose of stress hormones daily trains our body to deal with them better in the future.

Inversions Can Improve Your Immune System

Have you heard old yogis prescribe daily handstands for total well-being? Well, there is some truth to this old adage. Going upside down builds our immune system by aiding the lymphatic system.

Lymphatic fluid is dumped into our bloodstream when we go upside down and inside lymphatic fluid are agents that clean our system of things that could potentially make us sick.

Our spleen and the tonsils produce macrophages and lymphocytes which is what is in lymphatic fluid. Macrophages are the garbage collectors of our body and lymphocytes kill bad stuff or old cells.

Inversions also move the spinal fluid which carries nutrients, meaning we can more efficiently carry and move nutrients around the body.

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Benefits of Headstands Can Help Us Age Better

Adding inversions to our yoga practice can help us stay younger. Inversions release norepinephrine which is related to sex, dopamine which helps attention, and serotonin which creates joy and happiness.

As we age, hormone production gradually decreases. By adding inversions to your routine, you can keep your body’s hormone production in tip-top shape.

Best Way To Practice Handstands and Headstands

Sometimes wanting to do a handstand is easier said than done. A headstand is the best place to start vs a handstand which requires far more upper body strength. To start, you first need to build strength and balance. Practicing yoga can help with both of these things.

Poses that can get your body strengthened for a headstand are Dolphin Pose, Downward Dog, Plank Pose, and Chaturanga.

The optimal time for an inversion is 70 seconds. You can practice them daily and if you need an extra immune boost you can do them several times a day.

People Who Should Not Practice Inversions

Not all people should invert, anyone with severe or mild hypertension or vertigo should refrain from going upside down. There is also a contraindication for people using Viagra.

What’s the head rush all about? When you do an inversion blood pools in your head which over a long period of time can cause hypoxia, where oxygen can’t get to the brain, when you turn right side up the rush of oxygen, causes the head rush. Over time our body gets used to the inversion and minimizes the effects.

Should you do Handstands on your Period?

There is a lot of advice about refraining from headstands while you are on your menstrual cycle. The reason for this is that going upside down is literally “going against the flow” of your menstrual cycle.

Although this is a popular idea to avoid inversions, there really isn’t any scientific evidence to back it up. The choice is up to you, just listen to your body and do what feels right.

Inversions are powerhouse yoga poses. Leave a comment below about your experience with the benefits of headstands and handstands.

*This blog post is purely informational and is not intended to provide advice that should otherwise be given by a medical professional. All bodies are different and before starting any new activity or diet, check in with your medical practitioner.