Period Yoga, The Coolest Way To Un-cramp Your Lifestyle

Menstruation in many cultures is viewed as a time of cleansing and rejuvenation. But let’s be honest – for most of us, this means cleansing the last bit of chocolate off our fingers while rejuvenating the empty chip bowl and snuggling down for our next Netflix binge. Well, dust off your comfy gym pants, roll out your matt and start moving. Period yoga is the newest cramp-busting exercise that will have you saying ‘ommmmmm’ in no time.

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How to stop my period pain?

Yep, periods can be a real pain. Literally. Most women suffer from menstrual symptoms at some point in their cycle ranging from headaches, moodiness, anxiety, diarrhoea and constipation, and cramping. Menstrual symptoms are one of the most reported medical complaints to a GP from women, with up to 15% suffering from extreme period pain (called dysmenorrhea) requiring pain medication. While seen as common and normal in modern society, in older traditions such as Ayurveda these symptoms are instead viewed as an imbalance that can be adjusted and ‘tweaked’ using holistic methods such as restorative yoga.

Can I practice yoga during period?

To practice yoga during menstruation has been a controversial discussion. So for the modern girl in progress who isn’t up on all the yogi-speak of doshas, pranayams and asanas, let’s examine the issue logically.

From a physical perspective, your uterus is cramping, your back aches and your guts don’t know whether they are coming or going. Like any tired and spasming muscle, gentle stretching and poses that relax and massage this area into a calm state will be beneficial. From an energetic angle, the flow of energy during your period is from your navel to your cervix, or downwards. Something at all practice styles agrees on is that headstands and postures that reverse the natural flow of energy back into your uterus are not recommended.    

Yoga for period cramps

Whether you’re a veteran yogi who can tie yourself into a pretzel, or a newby who just attends classes for the 10 minute nap at the end, after just 5 minutes of period yoga most report an improvement in symptoms. Start with a few rounds of slow and gentle abdominal breathing in a seated position. When ready, move into gentle opening postures such as seated bound angle, wide angle forward bend, lying spinal twist and inverted leg pose. Each pose should be held for 10-15 breaths. Finish your practice with a nice lower back stretch in childs pose, or to further open and relax the stomach area a reclined bound angle.

Active Approach

Period pain is a multi-faceted issue and must be treated as such. Period yoga should be coupled with dietary tweaks, good sleeping habits and also taking a look at what sanitary items you are using. 

Switching to sustainable sanitary options, such as all-cotton pads and tampons, period underpants, and menstrual cups such as Lunette, should be part of a healthy menstrual regime. Try these tummy taming poses for a few cycles to see what difference they can make, and definitely talk to your doctor if your period pain is interfering with your normal lifestyle.

General Faqs:

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