The occasion of Ratha Saptami, celebrated across India in February, is when many yoga practitioners attempt to complete 108 cycles of Surya Namaskar. On one such Saptami evening recently, I received three WhatsApp messages from patients who thanked me for helping treat their conditions so they could achieve their goal of completing 108 Surya Namaskars.
This made me want to write this blog and share my perspective as a doctor on whether doing 108 Surya Namaskars every day is advisable or not. I will share some research insights, patient experiences, and my conclusion on this popular question.
What is Surya Namaskar?
For those unfamiliar, Surya Namaskar (also called Sun Salutation) is a sequence of 12 powerful yoga postures that provide a complete workout for the entire body. The 12 asanas flow smoothly with the synchronization of breath. Each cycle ends with the practitioner coming back to the starting position.
The definition of Surya Namaskar translates to “Salutations to the Sun”. It is known to have many benefits, both physical and spiritual in origin when practiced regularly.
The Significance of 108
The number 108 holds a special meaning in many Eastern philosophies. It is considered sacred and auspicious by Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Ancient Vedic scripts describe 108 as the number representing the wholeness of existence.
108 is also believed to signify the distance between Earth and the Sun and between Earth and Moon in Sun and Moon diameters, respectively. Due to this divine significance, 108 is a popular target for many spiritual practices like chanting mantras, going on pilgrimages, and doing cyclical yoga asanas like Surya Namaskar.
Benefits of Surya Namaskar
Let us first understand why Surya Namaskar is considered highly beneficial before analyzing if 108 cycles per day is too much.
Physical Benefits
- Improves flexibility, strength & endurance of the whole body
- Tones all muscles and stimulates vital organs
- Boosts metabolism and helps with weight management
- Enhances circulation and cardiovascular health
- Regulates breathing and improves lung capacity
- Boosts energy levels and keeps the practitioner active
- Improves balance and posture of the body
- Rejuvenates skin and prevents premature aging
Spiritual Benefits
- Calms the mind and relieves stress and anxiety
- Enhances concentration and mental focus
- Promotes self-discipline and commitment
- Connects the practitioner with the metaphysical concept of “So-Ham” or “I am He” described in sacred Hindu texts
- Helps achieve single-minded focus and a meditative state
Surya Namaskar is an extremely beneficial practice with wide-ranging positive effects on both body and mind. But is doing it 108 times daily healthy? Let’s analyze further.
Experiences of Patients Who Did 108 Surya Namaskars
As I mentioned earlier, on the occasion of Ratha Saptami, three of my patients messaged me excitedly after completing 108 cycles of Surya Namaskars.
Sujatha, who had osteoarthritis affecting her knees, thanked me for treating her condition which allowed her to achieve her target.
Another senior patient Arathi with a history of disc prolapse leading to recurrent back pain informed me how she was now pain-free with my treatment and could do 108 Surya Namaskars under guidance at her yoga class.
The third message was from a young engineering student Aradhana who earlier came to me for a shoulder injury. She had recovered fully and wanted guidance on whether doing 108 Surya Namaskars daily was advisable.
The glowing messages from patients who could now do this highly demanding practice highlighted how the healing touch along with Yoga sadhana leads to holistic well-being and newfound capabilities.
Research Insights on Effects of Doing High Volume Surya Namaskars
Let’s look at what some key studies reveal on the effects of regular high-volume Surya Namaskars.
A 2019 research published in the journal “Anthropologist” examined the effects of 108 Surya Namaskars on lung capacity and breath-holding time on 15 physically fit yoga practitioners.
It concluded that one month of daily 108 Sun Salutations leads to significant improvement in pulmonary function. Vital Capacity increased in both men and women while breath-holding time after full exhalation doubled.
Another study published in the “International Journal of Medical Science and Education” in 2018 looked at changes in Body Mass Index and Body Fat Percentage with daily 108 Surya Namaskars.
50 subjects performed the 5-week regimen under supervision. Results showed an average reduction of 1.1% in body fat and 0.8% drop in BMI values in participants. The effects were more pronounced in obese subjects.
A 2016 study on 30 subjects published in “The Asian Journal of Science and Technology” measured the effects of daily 108 Surya Namaskars over 3 months on parameters like heart rate, blood pressure, flexibility, and others.
Practicing Sun Salutations led to significant improvements in resting heart rate, blood pressure values, and shoulder & hamstring flexibility while also boosting exercise capability as evidenced by better performance in the Harvard Step Test.
So research certainly proves that regular high-volume Surya Namaskars have tangible beneficial effects for proponents. But the big question now is –
Is Doing 108 Cycles of Surya Namaskars Everyday Recommended?
My simple opinion as a doctor on this question is that:
For most yoga-naïve individuals or those with limited fitness levels, directly attempting 108 cycles of Sun Salutations daily can be detrimental.
It is an extremely demanding practice requiring good strength, flexibility, lung capacity, and overall exercise capability to be done safely.
Most negative impacts result from drastic changes in physical activity levels which strains bodily structures. Problems commonly reported are strained hamstrings, lower back pain, injuries in the shoulder or wrist, fatigue, and burnout.
However, for healthy individuals including athletes, regular gym-goers, or experienced yoga practitioners who have invested time in gradual progressive training, completing 108 Surya Namaskars daily should yield only positive effects.
The key differentiator seems to be the current capability and previous preparation of an individual.
With holistic 360-degree wellness as the end goal, one must raise capability levels progressively in flexibility, strength, stamina, and lung capacity using tools like Yoga asanas before attempting such intense and advanced practices.
Just like my patients proved – regular targeted Yoga done consistently over months transformed their health allowing them to achieve the 108 Surya Namaskars milestone without any adverse impact. So that should be the approach to adopt.
My Recommendations as a Doctor
Here are my guidelines for doing 108 Surya Namaskars daily.
- Get clearance from a doctor before starting – rule out any underlying health risks
- Don’t rush – Build strength, and stamina progressively with lower repetitions of 15, 40, or 80
- Perfect stance, posture, and breathing technique before raising rep counts
- Listen to your body – Stop if you experience strain, pain, or severe fatigue
- Allow rest days for regeneration or active recovery with slower flows
- Continue only if you feel good – Else drop intensity to manageable levels
- Practice under the guidance of experienced teachers if possible
- Include preparatory and counter yoga poses to enhance capability
Conclusion
To summarize, 108 Surya Namaskars is an extremely beneficial practice but one has to invest time and effort to develop the strength, flexibility, and stamina prerequisites before attempting it daily.
With a progressive, guided approach focused on holistic progression, it is certainly possible to make 108 cycles of Sun Salutations a part of one’s daily routine. But without adequate capability, drastic increases in physical activity often end badly.
