Could yoga be bad for some people?

AstraeaLunaAvani · #1 05-11-2015, 10:05 AM

I know this is a weird question, but here is why I ask...

I feel amazing and energized and healthy after dancing, hiking, jumping on my trampoline, riding a bike, and just about any other kind of exercise...EXCEPT yoga. I don't know why or how, but I feel worse after doing yoga. I've noticed this before but tonight it's worse than it's ever been. I actually feel nauseous. My head also feels like there is tremendous pressure in it. I did some yoga tonight for about an hour and it's been and hour and a half since I stopped and I still feel off. It feels exactly like something is pushing my stomach up through my throat, and that pressure is also up in my head and my tinnitus is worse too, my whole head just feels full, like I'm hanging upside down. Imagine hanging upside down with something heavy pushing your stomach up and that's how yoga makes me feel. I also felt slightly dizzy a few times during it.

Is it possible that yoga might aggravate some kind of condition (although I don't know what)? Is it possible some people just don't react well to it? I feel amazing doing any other form of exercise so I really can't figure this out.

Deepsoul · #2 05-11-2015, 09:02 PM

What many dont understand is that YOGA is a spiritual practice and what you are doing is raising your spiritual vibration this is not always a comfortable process ,you

may not be doing the postures in a correct sequence either I dont know ,I suggest maybe just shorten your duration ,and also look into what each posture is designed for

in spiritual growth as well as its health benefit, alot of the movements have an affect on awakening and unleashing the kundalini if this is done to quickly you will

likely experience what you are,All the best....:)

AstraeaLunaAvani · #3 06-11-2015, 05:35 AM

I should have googled this before posting, but after I posted this last night, I googled it and apparently it's pretty common for yoga to make people nauseous and for their blood pressure to go up...and it's all because of inverted poses. I do have high blood pressure, so people with that are advised not to do any poses where their heart is below their head. That explains a lot, because now that I remember, I always feel fine until I do downward facing dog.

keokutah · #4 06-11-2015, 05:48 AM

Yeah, sometimes inverted poses make my digestion problems worse, and give me acid reflux. But you can easily make your own routine that you can do.

Emmalevine · #5 06-11-2015, 03:37 PM

Yes, I have a heart condition and yoga put me in hospital. This was a few years ago. I'm better than I was but still have to be careful and even restorative yoga is usually too much for me.

#6 10-11-2015, 06:23 AM

I think that depends on the person and how they practice it. My daughter has had a heart condition since she was 7 years old. She grew up doing yoga from the time she could stand up, she would copy me, then she would do the poses with me and then she got really into the breathing, when she was about 11. She learned to control her heart-rate using her breath. Now she is 17 and has not had an incident in about 5 years.
I have never met anyone or heard of anyone being harmed by yoga but there are counterpoints to everything, it stands to reason there might be something better out there for some folks.
There could be something to the fact that these other exercises you mentioned, "dancing, hiking, jumping on my trampoline, riding a bike" don't have as much of a spiritual element as yoga does...actually dancing can...the point is, despite the spiritual connection one may feel when dancing or hiking etc. it isn't the same as the spiritual element associated with yoga.
Perhaps a moving meditation, something like Tai Chi would suit you better, seems you like to move about more-so than one does with yoga.
I like to mix them up...Tai-oga...Yo-Chi? LoL

joehall · #7 05-04-2016, 07:39 PM

Yes, yoga can cause damage from hyperflexion and other stresses. So can weight lifting, running, and raking leaves. Some poses are more stressful than others, and it's wise to find a skilled, experienced yoga teacher. It's also wise to listen to your body: if it hurts, don't do it. Yoga in particular is a gentle exercise, and pain is nearly always a warning sign.