You may have read the title of this blog post and imagined contorting your locks into various poses! While there are, in fact, poses that Ayurvedic yogis believe can help with hair growth (don’t worry, we’ll share a few!), we’re talking more about the ethos of yoga today. Yes, yoga is a practice of postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. However, it can also refer to the Hindu philosophy that invites one to slow down, suppress activity, and spend time contemplating the self. This perspective aims to reduce stress, but also to encourage making time for the things that really matter, like eating well. In this way, “yoga” is a perfect complement to self-care for healthy hair. So, we thought we’d embrace both practice and philosophy to share some self-care tips. Let’s talk about the rituals you can take on to benefit mind and mane … let’s talk hair yoga!
Hair-Friendly Poses
First, we’re going to circle back to that thing we mentioned before. Ayurvedic yogis believe there are a few yoga poses that can help with hair growth. The thinking is that certain stretches increase blood flow and thus, repair cells. Here are a few of the overarching hair-friendly favorites among various instructors:
- Downward-facing dog
- Shoulder stand
- Rabbit pose
- Fish pose
- Forward-bending camel pose
- Head stand
- Thunderbolt pose
Scalp Massage
Now that we’ve covered a few of the best poses for hair health—and all-around wellness—we’ll dive into a second idea for hair yoga, aka hair self-care.
Since scalp massage also enhances blood circulation, it could be viewed as a core part of hair yoga. Scalp massage has been proven to encourage hair growth and strengthen the roots. Techniques vary, but our recommendation is to gently massage with your fingers. For a pleasant aromatic experience and added punch of beneficial product, consider applying our DeeplyRooted hair serum and massaging it into the scalp as you go.
Breathing Exercises
Stress is a well-known factor contributing to hair problems, and pranayama, yogic breathing practices, can help. As with the poses, embracing this element of wellness will also improve other areas of your life!
Yoga Journal has a helpful guide to exploring this ancient practice of breath control.
Meditation
Speaking of old-school endeavors that bring wellness back to our lives, consider meditation! Yes, it can feel easier said than done, but meditation is worth investing a little bit of effort into. There are plenty of resources online to help you learn all about it, but Headspace is a particularly accessible way to integrate meditation into your busy routines.
Nutrition
We feel that nutrition should be a part of any conversation surrounding self-care, so it certainly makes our hair yoga list! Eating a well-balanced, nutritionally diverse diet will bring so much wellness to every aspect of your being. It certainly makes your hair happy! A few hair superfoods include salmon, avocados, nuts and seeds of many kinds, yogurt, and dark leafy greens. If you’re struggling to make it happen, our DeeplyRooted supplement, PlantYourDay protein powder, and Collagen+ powder could help fill the gaps!
While it might seem like a bit of a funny concept at first, hair yoga can be a path to hair-centric self-care. By attending to your mind, body, and soul—of course, with luscious locks on the brain—you can find greater well-being. Nurture your hair while taking steps toward a more harmonious life, with hair yoga!