Cool off this summer with yoga, meditation and breathing techniques. Stay focused, healthy and happy with some simple practices.

4 Yoga Tips to Cool Off This Summer

One season flows into another – each one brings its set of changes. A yogi will simply look at the changes and act accordingly. Here are some best practices and tips to ensure the body and mind stay fit.

You could choose a favorite yoga tip and practice it regularly or even do all.

#1: The secret is in your breath

The next time you have a few minutes before you rush out for the day, try the body cooling pranayama.
1. Stick your tongue out and curl the sides of the tongue upward towards the center of the tongue.

2. Breathe in through the mouth, hold the breath and slowly exhale through the nose.

Repeat five to 10 times.

#2: Drink up

The more you hydrate yourself, the better. With 70 percent of water in your body, you’d better ensure there’s lot of liquid out there.

Besides drinking extra fluids, you could include the alternative nostril breathing  in your routine. Here’s how:

1. Close the right nostril with your right thumb.

2. Exhale completely through the left nostril and then breathe in through the left nostril.

3. Close the left nostril with your little ring finger and exhale through the right.

Repeat five to 10 times.

#3: Slow down on yoga poses

Yoga poses practiced gently and meditatively balance the mind and body and are beneficial at any time of the year.

Strenuous physical activity or yoga increases body temperature, best to avoid in summer and save for cooler months. Early in the morning or late in the evening are the best times to practice yoga postures during summer.

#4 Watch what you Consume

Reduce intake of spicy food, tea, coffee and sugar.

Avoid fatty food because it puts extra burden on the digestive system and heart.

Consume larger quantities of fruits, raw and cooked vegetables

Minimize consumption of non-vegetarian food.

Increase your intake of water add a option squeeze of lemon or lime with a pinch of salt.

Last but not least;

After a long day, do you want to unwind in the evening? Lie down near a wall – with your legs and feet up the wall in a comfortable manner.  Stay  for a 2 or 3 minutes.  Bring the legs down and rest in Shavasana.  These yoga poses are refreshing and restorative. How does this work? Since the heart is pumping out more blood, when the temperature is high, this yoga pose helps the heart by returning more blood back to the heart. (use gravity to bring the blood back to the heart.)