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Upset Stomach? These 10 Yoga Poses for Digestion Work Wonders

February 15, 2022
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by Sophia Bartolini: Did you know there are specific yoga poses for digestion?

Having good digestion is such a key aspect to feeling our best. But no matter how healthy we eat, we all deal with stomach trouble from time to time. Thankfully, there are yoga poses for digestion that can help.

Whether it’s stomach pain, bloating, constipation, or cramps, having digestive pain is not a fun experience and can leave us unable to enjoy our daily lives.

As a world traveler, experiencing food poisoning and stomach pain is not unusual, even when you avoid street food! I always head right to my mat and do some yoga, hoping it will help.

And guess what? It does work! The following yoga poses help with digestion – sometimes right away. Isn’t it amazing how all we really need to help our body feel better is our own body?

Practice These 10 Yoga Poses for Digestion to Ease Your Tummy Troubles:

Below are some of the best yoga poses for digestion to help you feel better fast.

1. Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

This posture has many benefits! It stretches out the entire front body and stimulates the organs of the abdomen. Creating length through this area of your body is great for cramps and bloating.

Let’s try it:

Start on your knees, using a blanket or pillow under them if you feel any pain
From there, slowly lean back, walking your hands across your calves until you reach your heels
Hold the pose for as long as you can, optimally one to two minutes
If you can’t reach your feet, then do the backbend with your hands resting on your hips

2. Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana)

Happy Baby is one of the best yoga poses for digestion because it provides a gentle stretch through the inner groin and back, which helps to reduce stress and anxiety while stimulating your digestive system and lowering your heart rate.

Let’s try it:

Start by lying down and bringing your knees into your chest
Bring your arms on the inside of each leg, grabbing your big toes with your thumbs, middle, and forefingers, or hold onto the pinky sides of your feet with your hands
Then use your hands to pull your legs to either side
Focus on bringing your knees toward your shoulders while keeping your low back grounded on the mat
Hold for as long as it feels comfortable

3. Reclined Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

This reclined twist helps to strengthen your abdominal muscles while stimulating your organs and helping food and waste move along, making it a great go-to yoga pose for digestion.

Let’s try it:

Start by lying down and bring one knee into your chest
Bring your knee across the front of your body to the floor on the opposite side of your mat so that your low back and abdomen are twisted to the side
You can place the hand that is on the same side as the knee on top of the knee to hold it down
Extend your other arm out to the side, keeping your shoulders grounded
Turn your head to face in the same direction as your extended arm
Hold for as long as you like, taking deep breaths into your belly
When finished, slowly bring both legs back straight on the ground
Then hug both knees to your chest before repeating on the other side

4. Revolved Triangle Pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana)

Revolved Triangle Pose is a great yoga pose for digestion to help stimulate your appetite and relieve constipation.

Let’s try it:

Start from Downward Facing Dog and step one leg forward between your feet into a Low Lunge
Then reach your arms up and straighten both your legs
Try to keep both feet in a straight line facing one direction
If you need more balance, you can turn your back foot out slightly
Fold from your hips, reach your opposite arm to your front and grab onto your ankle or rest your hand on the floor by your foot
Take your other arm up with your fingertips pointing toward the sky
Hold for a full minute if you can, and then repeat on the other side

5. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

Similar to Camel Pose, this yoga pose for digestion stimulates the organs of your abdomen. The pressure placed on your abdomen will stimulate the organs of digestion.

Let’s try it:

Come down to your mat, resting your belly on the ground
Let your arms lay on either side of your body
On an inhale, bend your knees while also lifting your upper body off the mat
Reach your arms behind you to grab your ankles in your hands as you continue to pull your legs and upper body up toward each other
Engage the muscles of your back
Hold for as long as comfortable

6. Seated Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

This pose stimulates the liver and kidneys and also cleanses out your internal organs, improving digestion as well as elimination. The motion of twisting can promote optimal functioning in the intestines.

Let’s try it:

Sitting down on the ground, bring your legs in front of you
Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor
Slide your right leg under the other so that your knee is pressing against the outside of your left foot
Twist toward your left, bringing your right elbow to brace against your right knee, helping to gently push you into the twist
Try to keep your spine straight and long to improve the stretch
Hold for as long as is comfortable and then switch sides

7. Garland Pose (Malasana)

Malasana is one of the more well-known yoga poses for digestion. In this pose, your abdominal organs are toned and strengthened while metabolism is boosted, which helps to break down food and convert it into energy.

Let’s try it:

Stand tall on your mat and slowly begin to walk your feet apart so they are a little wider than hip-distance apart
Squat down toward the mat until your glutes almost reach your legs
Move your arms to the inside of your thighs and bring your palms together with your elbows bent
Press your arms into your legs
To go even deeper into this pose, press further outward with your arms against your legs
Keep breathing steady, long breaths to signal to your body that it’s okay to release into this pose

8. Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)

This yoga pose for digestion is especially useful for stretching your belly to relieve cramps after a large meal. It’s also great for relieving discomfort when you’re feeling bloated or over-full.

Let’s try it:

Begin on all fours, with your hips stacked above your knees and your shoulders directly above your wrists
Walk your hands forward as you slowly drop your chest closer to the ground
Keep your legs and lower body in the same position
You have the choice of resting your forehead on the mat or keeping your gaze forward – do whichever feels best for your body
The longer you hold this pose, the further you’ll be able to bring your chest toward the ground
Hold for as long as it feels comfortable

9. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

This pose is excellent for improving digestion as it stimulates your abdomen and internal organs, and has also been said to potentially help with metabolism.

Let’s try it:

Lay down on your back with your legs bent so your feet are planted on the ground
Rest your arms on either side of your body and then lift your hips and pelvis off the mat
At the same time, begin pressing your arms into the ground to support you
Engage your core, your back, and your glutes to keep you stable as you continue to lift with your belly
Hold for as long as it feels comfortable

10. Knees-to-Chest (Apanasana)

This yoga pose for digestion removes gas (Apanasana is often referred to as “wind relieving” or “wind removing” pose) and can sometimes relieve other issues like cramps or bloating.

Let’s try it:

Start by lying down and hugging both knees into your chest
Keep your head resting on the ground with your low back still touching the mat
If your low back starts to lift off the floor, release your legs a bit in order to keep your back on the floor
Hold for as long as it feels comfortable