What’s This Research About?
Does practicing headstand (sirshasana) increase blood flow to the brain?
Four researchers set out to test this theory by measuring the volume of blood flow to a major artery that supplies the brain while yogis practiced headstand.
TITLE: Headstand (Sirshasana) Does Not Increase the Blood Flow to the Brain
PUBLICATION: The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
DATE: 2019
AUTHORS : Rinad S. Minvaleev, Rinat R. Bogdanov, David P. Bahner and Alexander B. Levitov
Cerebral autoregulation: The process of blood vessels regulating and maintaining blood flow to the brain despite changes in blood pressure.
Internal carotid artery: Major artery that provides oxygenated blood to the brain.
Ultrasound: An imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of structures inside the human body.