Yoga poses for hangovers

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Feeling close to death after one too many drinks last night? Fix your hangover with these yoga poses

Hangovers can rank up there with root canals—depending on the poison you picked and how much of it. That you know.

You probably also realize that the headache, queasiness, fatigue, and shakes will subside only once you’ve rehydrated and the booze and its toxic byproducts have left your system.

What you may not be aware of, however, is that a little gentle twisting, yoga style, can speed up that painful process.

On particularly miserable mornings, yoga instructor, Kimberly Wilson, recommends doing this toxin-wringing seated twist first thing. Then, repeat as needed until the Metallica concert in your head subsides.

Rest assured, this is a gentle movement, so using this technique won’t mean revisiting last night’s gin and tonics.

Seated twist pose

Sit on the floor with your legs extended out in front of you. Bend your right leg at the knee and cross it over the left leg, planting your right foot on the outside of your left knee.

Bend your left leg in, bringing your left foot next to your right hip. On your inhale, sit up taller and place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee.

On your exhale, slowly windmill your right arm behind you, turning your torso so your body is rotated as far back and to the right as comfortably possible. Hold for five deep breaths, then slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

Cat cow pose

Cat cow pose

1. Begin on all fours, shoulders directly over your wrists and hips directly over your knees.

2. As you inhale, tilt your sit bones up toward the ceiling, reach your chest through your upper arms, and arch your back into cow pose (bitilasana).

3. As you exhale, tuck your chin in toward your chest, point your tailbone down between your knees, and round your back into cat pose (marjaryasana).

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3.

5. Next, as you inhale, raise your left arm out in front of you, thumb pointing up, and extend your right leg out behind you. Hold this position for a moment.

6. Then, as you exhale, round your back into cat pose and your left elbow and right knee in to meet under your chest. Hold for a moment.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for one to four more sets before switching sides.

Reclining twist

Reclining twist

1. Lie on your back. Extend your arms out straight from your shoulders.

2. Shift your hips to the right slightly. Cross your right thigh over your left thigh and let your knees roll to your right. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths. With each inhale lengthen your spine from the crown of your head to your tailbone and with each exhale deepen your twist.

3. Switch sides and repeat.