For many women, menstruation is a monthly nightmare that comes with exhausting cramps, mood swings, and irregular period cycles. The emotional and physical pain can ruin your daily routine, work, and day-to-day life. While OTC medicines can provide you with temporary relief, they don’t treat the underlying issues. This is where yoga comes in as the best way to deal with painful cramps. If you practice yoga during your periods, you can easily overcome period cramps, balance irregular cycles, and improve your overall health. In this article, we will help you know some of the best yoga for periods and how they can help to control your menstrual cycle.
Benefits of Doing Yoga During Period
The following are some of the benefits of performing yoga during your menstruation:
- Helps reduce period cramps, discomfort, and back pain.
- Calms your mind, balances your thoughts, and reduces anxiety.
- Increases energy levels and helps you fight fatigue.
- Enhances blood flow to your pelvic area and releases endorphins that improve your mood and reduce pain.
- Increases oxygen in your muscles and helps in reducing menstrual cramps.
Top 5 Yoga for Period Pain
We will now discuss the top 5 period cramps relief yoga asanas that may benefit you the most. Let’s discuss each one in detail with Yogaasan:
Supta Baddha Konasana
Supta Baddha Konasana is also known as the Reclined Bound Angle Pose, it is one of the best yoga for irregular periods that offers many benefits for menstrual health. By doing a gentle stretch on your hips, thighs, and lower back, this yoga asan reduces period cramps, bloating and discomfort. This asana regulates menstrual cycles, improves blood flow, and reduces the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Perform this asana and get the most comfortable menstrual experience. Here’s how you can perform Supta Baddha Konasana steps.
Paschimottanasana
Paschimottanasana, also known as Seated Forward Fold, is amazing yoga for period problems. This asana focuses on stretching the full-back, hips, and legs. Also, this yoga pose relaxes your uterine muscles and helps you with menstrual cramps. When you practice this pose regularly, it will fix your period cycle, improve the blood flow in your body, and reduce the symptoms of PMS like anxiety and mood swings. Perform the Paschimottanasana steps to get comfort from periods.
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana or the Bridge Pose has many benefits when you do this yoga during periods. It strengthens your back and opens up your chest. Also, it helps you improve your posture, reduce period pain, and reduce PMS symptoms like anxiety and fatigue. Add this posture to your daily routine and regulate your menstrual cycle, enhance blood flow, and tone your reproductive organs. This asana reduces stress, and anxiety and makes you calm by easing menstrual discomfort. You can practice Setu Bandha Sarvangasana steps easily to get the ultimate benefits.
Marjaryasana (Cat-Cow Pose)
Marjaryasana, or Cat-Cow Pose, is the best period pain yoga offering many benefits during the time of the month. It stretches and strengthens the spine, hips, and pelvis area. By performing this asana, you will get relief from Dysmenorrhea, bloating, and lower back pain. This pose is best for reducing PMS symptoms and balancing the menstrual cycle. By practicing this pose regularly, you can get relaxed and stress-free. You can follow the Marjaryasana steps and prioritize your well-being during your period.
Viparita Karani
Viparita Karani is also called Legs Up The Wall Pose. It is a period yoga in which you gently invert your body, and this helps you reduce cramps, bloating, and swelling in your legs and feet. When you do this asana, it relaxes your mind, reduces stress & anxiety, and calms your nervous system. It also reduces congestion in your pelvic region, which reduces cramps and discomfort during that time of the month. You can always follow the simple steps of Viparta Karani and allow yourself to release tension on your menstruation days.
Contraindications of Performing Yoga During Periods
Some yoga asanas or types of asanas should not be practiced during periods, especially when you are suffering from heavy bleeding. Let’s discuss some of the contraindications that you should know before practicing yoga for period problems:
- Avoid performing inversion yoga asanas where you need to put your head below the heart. These poses include headstands, shoulder stands, and handstands as they put pressure on ligaments and increase bleeding.
- Do not perform intense abdominal or spinal twists, like seated spinal twists and supine spinal twists as it may be uncomfortable.
- Refrain from performing backbends or forward bends, as they can strain your lower back and pelvic area.
- Women should not perform high-intensity exercises like cycling, running, and gymming, as they may not be appropriate or comfortable.
You can always consult with a professional yoga expert before performing period yoga. Also, if you feel uncomfortable performing the asanas, you can perform pranayama, meditation, or mudras like Apana mudra or Surya mudra instead.
At Last
Yoga is the natural remedy that can help you manage period discomfort. It is far way better than taking medicines to relieve the pain. When you perform yoga for periods, you can effectively manage cramps, regulate your period cycle, and improve your overall health. Yogaasan will always suggest you to respect your body’s limits and adjust the asanas accordingly. Avoid performing intense yoga asanas and listen to a qualified yoga instructor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can we do yoga during periods?
You can practice yoga for irregular periods, but always focus on gentle asanas that reduce the symptoms rather than give you more pain or discomfort. Always keep the contraindications in mind and modify the yoga poses when required.
Which yoga is best during periods?
There are many yoga for period pain that you can perform during periods including the Reclined Bound Angle Pose, Seated Forward Fold, Bridge Pose, Cat Cow Pose and Legs Up The Wall pose that help you reduce the bloating and periods cramps.
How to get periods early by yoga?
You can regulate your periods by performing the yoga poses we have explained in the above blog. This will help you increase the blood flow to your pelvic area and reduce stress and anxiety.