8 Yoga Poses for Gas and Bloating

Yoga poses such as child's pose, happy baby, and downward dog can help relieve trapped gas and bloating. Moves that involve twisting your midsection, forward bends, squats, knees to chest, and bridges encourage gas to pass through your digestive tract. These moves can also lower stress levels, making it easier to relax and pass gas.

Trapped gas can make you uncomfortable, causing abdominal pain, bloating, and distention. In addition to yoga poses, other forms of exercise, such as walking, eating certain foods, and lying on your side, can also help.

Knees to Chest Pose (Apanasana)

The knees-to-chest pose, also known as the wind-relieving pose, puts gentle pressure on the abdomen and helps get trapped gas moving.

1. Start by laying on your back with the legs extended out in front of you and the arms alongside the body.
2. On an exhale, hug the knees into the chest and clasp your hands around the front of them.
3. Tuck your chin slightly to lengthen the neck. Keep your head, back, and sacrum flat on the ground.
4. If you are comfortable, you can rock gently back and forth or from side to side. 
5. To release, take an exhale, extend the legs out, and bring the arms to rest alongside the body.
6. Repeat as many times as desired. 

Child's Pose (Balasana)

The child's pose places pressure on the abdomen while relieving tension in the hips and lower back. This is believed to aid digestion.

1. Start on your hands and knees on the floor.
2. Release the tops of your feet to the floor and bring your knees wider than your hips, big toes touching.
3. Slowly lower your hips towards your heels.
4. Rest your head on the floor or a prop and move your arms so they're next to your legs, palms facing up.
5. Take several slow breaths into your belly and chest.
6. Gently release back to hands and knees.

Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

The supine spinal twist pose assists digestion through abdominal compression. Twisting at the waist helps to push gas through the body.

1. Lying on your back, bring your arms out to the sides with the palms facing down in a T position.
2. Bend the right knee and place the right foot on the left knee.
3. Exhale and drop the right knee over to the left side of your body, twisting the spine and lower back. Turn your head to look at the right fingertips.
4. Keep the shoulders flat on the floor, close the eyes, and relax into the posture. Let gravity pull the knee down so you do not have to use any effort in this posture.
5. Breathe and hold for several breaths.
6. To release: Inhale and roll the hips back to the floor, and exhale the leg back down to the floor.

This pose can also be performed with both knees bent. Simply follow the same instructions above, but instead of keeping one knee, bend both knees and let gravity pull them over to one side and then the other.

Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

The seated forward bend pose improves digestion by stretching the entire body from head to toe.

1. Begin by sitting on the floor with your legs out straight in front of you.
2. Bring your arms straight out to the sides and up over your head, reaching toward the ceiling.
3. Inhale and draw your spine straight up long.
4. As you exhale, bend forward, hinging at your hips.
5. On each inhale, lengthen your spine. You may come a bit out of your forward bend to do this.
6. On each exhale, deepen into your forward bend. Imagine your belly coming to rest on your thighs, rather than your nose coming to your knees to help you keep your spine long.
7. Keep the neck as the natural extension of your spine, neither cranking it to look up nor letting it relax completely.
8. When you have come to your full extension with the spine long, decide whether you want to stay here or let your spine round forward.
9. Take hold of your ankles or shins, whichever you can reach. You can also use a strap around your feet. Keep your feet flexed strongly throughout.
10. To release, raise your back, hinging at your hips, and return to sitting with your legs extended.

Squat (Malasana)

Squats are good for more than building strong thighs and gluteal (butt) muscles. This posture promotes the release of built-up gas from the digestive system. Here's how to lower yourself into this position to help relieve trapped gas:

1. Start with your feet hip-width apart and facing forward.
2. Put your hands on your hips or hold on to the back of a sturdy chair. Then, slowly bend your knees until your rear end is close to the floor.
3. Place your hands on the tops of your thighs (or continue to hold onto the chair). Stay in this position until you feel the gas start to move.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

The bridge pose gently stimulates digestion by compressing and then loosening the abdominals, which improves blood flow and helps release gas.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor, hip-distance apart. Inch your feet as close to your butt as you can.
2. Bring your arms alongside your body, palms down.
3. As you inhale, press down firmly through your feet and lift your hips, initiating the movement from the pubic bone rather than the navel.
4. Press your upper arms down.
5. Continue to press down firmly through your heels and draw your thighs toward one another to keep them hip-distance apart.
6. To finish, exhale as you release your hands and slowly lower your hips to the floor.

Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana)

The happy baby pose stretches the lower abdomen and inner thighs, stimulating the release of trapped gas and alleviating bloating.

1. Lie flat on your back on the floor.
2. Bring your knees toward your chest, keeping them at a 90-degree angle. The bottoms of your feet should face the ceiling.
3. Reach forward and grab the inside or outside edges of your feet—whatever’s most comfortable.
4. Spread your knees apart gently. They should be wider than your armpits.
5. Flex your ankles and gently rock from side to side.
6. Inhale and exhale deeply as you continue to rock.

Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Downward dog contributes to relaxation and boosts circulation throughout the body by stretching the muscles of the back. This pose aids in digestion by promoting better blood circulation to your digestive organs.

1. Start on your hands and knees on the floor with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders. Spread your fingers wide and tuck your toes under.
2. Exhale as you lift your knees off the mat and reach your butt toward the ceiling. Your body should now resemble an upside-down “V” shape.
3. Press the back of your thighs toward the wall behind you and stretch your heels toward the mat. Straighten your knees without locking them.
4. Relax your neck and keep your head between your upper arms. Hold your body in position, making sure to breathe properly. Slowly bring your knees back to the floor.

More Tips to Relieve Gas and Bloating

Along with yoga poses, other ways to relieve gas include walking, lying on your side, and consuming certain foods and drinks. Going to the bathroom (having a bowel movement) can also help to relieve symptoms since constipation can lead to gassiness.

There are also medications for gas and bloating, But if you prefer a natural approach, try one of these methods to find relief.

Change Your Eating and Drinking Habits

Sometimes, simple habit changes can make a big difference in the gastrointestinal discomfort you feel during the day.

Consider these changes to find relief:

• Avoid using straws
• Eat slowly and chew food completely
• Don't chew gum
• Skip the carbonated beverages
• Try not to gulp air when talking or eating

Quit Smoking

A smoking habit can cause significant changes to your digestive system. For example, it increases the incidence of heartburn and peptic ulcers, and it also makes these conditions harder to treat. Health experts generally advise that you quit smoking to find relief from gas and bloating.

However, there is also evidence to suggest that quitting smoking may increase gas and bloating, at least temporarily. Taking medications such as antacids, laxatives, and proton pump inhibitors may be able to provide some relief.

Get on Your Feet

Taking a walk can sometimes be all that's needed to relieve trapped gas and bloating in the short term.

Research shows light physical activity, such as walking, can help move intestinal gas and reduce bloating in the abdomen.

At least 30 minutes of exercise three or four days a week may help keep the bloating and burps at bay.

Lie on Your Side

Lying on your left side may work especially well for relieving trapped gas. Follow these steps to see if it works for you:

1. On a bed, sofa, or the floor, lie on your side.
2. Gently draw both knees toward your chest.
3. If you don't get relief after several minutes, try slowly moving your legs down and up a few times.
4. Try using your hands to pull your knees closer to your chest if you can do this comfortably or without causing more pain.

A gentle massage may also help. While on your side (or at other times throughout the day) gently rubbing your stomach may help relieve gas and make you feel better.

Avoid Gassy Foods

Some foods, like high-fiber foods, are more likely to cause gas. If you can learn to avoid them, you are likely to find some relief from uncomfortable bloating and gas.

Gassy foods include:

• Fatty foods
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Fruits high in fructose (apples, pears, watermelon, mangoes, figs)
• Legumes (kidney beans, black beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas)
• Foods containing sugar alcohol (such as sorbitol, mannitol, or xylitol).

Choose Less Gassy Foods

Choose these foods and beverages that are less gassy:

• Lean red meat, poultry, or fish
• Non-starchy vegetables, such as leafy greens, cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, and zucchini
  
• Fermented foods and beverages, such as kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, and yogurt
• Lactose-free dairy products
• Fruits, such as berries, grapes, melon, and kiwi in moderation 
• Grains, such as rice, quinoa, and oats 
• Gluten-free bread

Try Herbal Remedies

Sometimes, drinking plain warm water helps to relieve stomach discomfort. You might also try drinking herbal tea, such as peppermint tea or chamomile tea to get relief from bloating. While there is no clinical evidence linking these drinks to gas relief, many people swear by these remedies for natural gas relief.

Other natural remedies might include consuming certain herbs, such as:

• Anise
• Caraway
• Coriander
• Fennel
• Turmeric
  

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Intestinal gas is rarely a sign of a medical problem. Again, it's a normal by-product of digestion. However, there are times when it could be a sign of a serious health issue.

These conditions include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), lactose intolerance, and celiac disease.

It is recommended that you talk with your healthcare provider if you have symptoms such as:

• Excessive gas or gas occurs more frequently than usual
• Abdominal pain
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Bloody stools

Summary

You can learn how to relieve trapped gas by trying different yoga poses, lying on your side, and being physically active.

Changing your diet may also help. In most cases, gas is not a serious issue. But you may want to see a healthcare provider if you have excessive gas or if it interferes with daily activities.