• Ideas to deal with hypertension include Six Yoga Asanas, Breathing Practices (Pranayama) and Lifestyle changes. With pictures and how to do.

Part one was Why Modern Life Keeps Our Blood Pressure High and included What raises blood pressure? Why is Hypertension of common? What are symptoms of High Blood Pressure? How Yoga Supports Blood Pressure Naturally? This is part 2 and has best Yoga Poses for Hypertension.

If you have high blood pressure, the goal is not intense yoga. You do not need fast asana movement, advanced poses. For hypertension, yoga should feel like a long exhale. Here are gentle poses that are supportive and safe for most people:

1. Child’s Pose  (Balasana)

This is one of the most comforting poses in yoga. It naturally slows down the breath and relaxes the nervous system. How to practice:

1. Come in an all fours - kneel down position on the floor. Hands under the shoulders and knees in line with hips.

2. Start moving your hips back to the heels, and rest your forehead on the mat. If your knees feel uncomfortable, keep a pillow under your hips. Stay for 1-2 minutes.

2. Cat-Cow Stretch  (Marjaryasana–Bitilasana)

This movement is gentle, grounding, and especially helpful for people who sit all day. How to practice:

1. Come onto all fours.

2. Inhale and gently lift the chest.

3. Exhale and round the spine.

4. Move slowly and smoothly for 1- 2 minutes.

5. Let your breath lead the movement.

3. Seated Forward Fold  (Paschimottanasana - gentle version)

Forward folds are naturally calming, but only if you do them without force. How to practice:

1. Sit with legs extended. Keep knees slightly bent.

2. Fold forward gently, without pulling.

3. You can rest your hands on your legs or ankles or shins.

4. Stay for 30–60 seconds.

4. Reclining Butterfly Pose  (Supta Baddha Konasana)

This pose is deeply relaxing. It softens the chest, belly, and hips, allowing the breath to become deeper. How to practice:

1. Lie down, bring the soles of your feet together, and let your knees open outward.

2. Support your knees with cushions or yoga blocks if needed.

3. Stay for 2 - 5 minutes.

5. Legs up the Wall  (Viparita Karani)

This is one of the best yoga poses for modern-day stress and fatigue. It is especially helpful for people who feel drained after work, mentally overloaded, or emotionally exhausted. How to practice:

1. Lie down near a wall and place your legs up the wall.

2. Keep your arms relaxed by your side.

3. Stay for 5 -10 minutes.

4. Many people feel their whole system calm down in this pose.

6. Corpse Pose  (Shavasana)

Shavasana is not just rest. It is a practice of deep nervous system recovery. Most people lie down but keep thinking. Shavasana teaches the mind to stop running. How to practice:

1. Lie down comfortably, eyes closed, body relaxed.

2. Stay for 5 -10 minutes.

If you do only one yoga pose daily for hypertension, choose Shavasana

Breathing Practices  (Pranayama) That Calm Blood Pressure

Breathing is one of the most powerful tools for hypertension because it is always available. You can do it at home. You can do it before bed. You can do it in the middle of a stressful day. It works quietly but deeply.

Here are gentle breathing practices that support blood pressure balance:

1. Slow Breathing

This is the simplest and most effective practice. How to practice:

1. Inhale slowly through the nose.

2. Exhale slowly through the nose.

3. Make your exhale slightly longer than your inhale.

4. Continue for 3-5 minutes.

5. Even 10 slow breaths can bring the body out of stress mode.

2. Nadi Shodhana  (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

This is one of the best pranayama practices for calming the mind and reducing restlessness. How to practice:

1. Close your right nostril and inhale through the left. Exhale through the right nostril then Inhale through the right nostril and exhale from the left.

2. Continue slowly for 3–5 minutes, starting and finishing with the left nostril/

3. Keep it gentle. No force. No holding.

To see video 1.46 minutes

Avoid fast or forceful breathing techniques like Kapalbhati or intense breath retention unless guided by an experienced teacher who understands hypertension.

For high BP, gentle and slow breathing is safer and more effective.

Lifestyle Tips for hypertension

Hypertension when combined with Yoga and supported by small daily lifestyle shifts can make a huge difference. The good news is: you don’t need a perfect routine. You just need a few realistic habits.

1. Start your day with breathing, not your phone

Before you check notifications, take 10 slow breaths. It may seem small, but it sets the tone of your nervous system for the entire day.

2. Walk daily

Even a 15-20 minute walk helps improve circulation and release stress. Walking is one of the most underrated practices for blood pressure support.

3. Reduce caffeine dependency

Many people don’t realize how much tea and coffee affect the body’s stress response. Try reducing by one cup a day and replace it with warm water or herbal tea.

4. Eat at least one calm meal

Eating while rushing or scrolling keeps the body in stress mode. Try to sit down and eat one meal daily without screens. That alone can help digestion and reduce stress load.

5. Prioritize sleep like medicine

Sleep is where the body repairs. Try to reduce screen time at night and practice 5 minutes of breathing before bed. If your sleep improves, your blood pressure often improves too.

Yoga is not about fixing you

It doesn’t treat you like a problem to solve. It treats you like a human being who has been carrying too much for too long. Hypertension is not always a sign that you did something wrong. 

Sometimes it is simply the result of living under pressure for years.

Yoga is a reminder that your health is not just about food and exercise but also about how you breathe, how you respond to stress, how you rest, how you slow down and how you care for your mind and how often you give your body permission to relax.

Start Small, Stay Consistent

If you are dealing with hypertension, don’t wait for the “perfect plan.” Start with what feels possible. Even 10 minutes of yoga a day is a powerful beginning. Because the goal is not to control blood pressure through force. 

The goal is to create a life where your body doesn’t feel like it is constantly fighting.

A calmer breath, a quieter mind. Slowly over time, a healthier heart.

Author Nibha - From two decades of being in high-stressed corporate jobs, to a Yoga teacher & practitioner who loves to unlearn, learn, and teach. She is based in the National Capital Region.

To read all articles by author

Also read

1. What is Pranayam – how to do and benefits

2. Role of Satvic Diet on Hypertension

3. How Yoga helps deal with uncertain times

4. Yoga therapy for Hypertensive Middle Aged Women

5. What we can learn from Child’s Pose

6. Yoga Practices that boosts Memory

7. How a Foot Sole Massage can improve your health