It’s a fact. I love inversions. Headstands, handstands, shoulder stands, plows. Not just for the health benefits associated with them, but because being upside down can give you a new perspective on life because you’re looking at it from a different angle.
But seriously, why are they so amazing? Scientifically put, inversions shift cerebral spinal fluid flow, draining blood from the lower body and passing it through to the rest of the organs and tissues as fresh blood. It has a detoxifying effect on the body, removing impurities along the way and having a positive impact on things such as your mood and many other things.
Here are my favourite reasons why everyone should be going bottoms up;
Glowing Skin
Have I got your attention now? That’s right reversing gravity can have you looking like you’ve reversed time. It acts as a mini (and freeeeee!) facial bringing all the fresh, oxygenated blood to your noggin stimulating facial capillaries and hair follicles of the scalp, giving you that youthful, rosy cheek appearance that not even the best blush can achieve.
Helps Digestion
If you’re like me and have been cast in a lifelong episode of ”will this bloat me, will it not?” I highly recommend you try inversions. Giving your gut a break from everyday gravitational pull works wonders stimulating the abdominal muscles and glands you need to keep your digestive system working smoothly. Just make sure to do them on an empty stomach!
Stress Relief
So inversion therapy is like, a thing. There’s even a Wikipedia page one it so you know it’s legit. The most well-known study of inversion therapy by Physiotherapist LJ Nosse found that muscle tension was reduced by more than 35 percent within just 10 seconds. Less muscle tension = less stress. Voila.
Mood enhancer
Just as exercise sends more oxygen to the brain, so do inversions. Simple. The increased blood flow to your head will actually turn that frown upside down.
Height Maintenance
Sure enough, the science is there. We inevitably become shorter as we get older losing moisture from the discs in our back. Going topsy-turvy bucks this trend. To all the other shorties in the world can I get a hellll yeahhh!
So, if you’ve never inverted before then you’re in for a treat. Be careful, go slow and concentrate on the breath. Just two minutes a day is all you need to experience all of the benefits. Remember to build up your strength and flexibility. Using a wall to support you is common practice when first starting out too. And you may even experience a little dizziness when you come out of it but that’s completely normal. Your head isn’t used to all this fresh blood.