Yoga can be a great help when you’re menstruating. Don’t know where to start? Check out our list of the best yoga positions to help period cramps.
We all know home remedies for period cramps. Whether it’s certain types of herbal tea or foods that reduce bloating, there are plenty of non-medical ways to reduce your period cramps. Relaxing your muscles and stretching is another great way to reduce cramps, but how exactly to achieve this is a little less well-known. It’s a good job we have all the answers!
Yoga is a great way to get your body moving and stretched out without causing too much physical strain. Here are our top 5 yoga positions to help with your menstrual cramps. And remember, these don’t have to be done all at once – you could even just do a few before you go to bed or when you get up in the morning!
1. Corpse pose (Shavasana)
Our first pose of choice is probably the easiest and the most relaxing of all. For this pose, all you have to do is lie on your back, align your back, neck, shoulders and head and close your eyes. Once in the position, take some deep breaths and try to clear your mind. You can let your feet and legs relax, maybe even let them fall to the side if they want to.
This pose should help you ‘switch off’ and focus on your body’s breathing and muscles, ensuring you are fully relaxed and not tensed up. The corpse pose is perfect for just before bed to ensure you’re calm and ready to drift off.
2. Inverted Leg pose (Viparita Karani)
This pose also starts by lying on your back but this time you want to lift your legs so they’rre at a 90-degree angle to your body. We suggest, especially if you’re menstruating, to lie against a wall or prop your legs up on something for ultimate comfort.
Having your legs elevated has loads of health benefits; it lowers your blood pressure, improves circulation, and gives you a great natural energy boost to help your nervous system. On top of this, it will just generally help you relax and take some of the weight off your feet.
3. Bound Angle pose (Baddha Konasana)
For this pose, you should start by sitting upright, with a straight back and your chest up. Your legs should be in front of you and your feet should meet in the middle, with the soles of your feet touching. If you can’t quite reach, or anything feels uncomfortable (like hips or knees) simply modify the position until you feel more comfortable. Make sure to take plenty of deep breaths and relax into the pose.
This position is all about comfort, and experts swear by it to help combat period symptoms like bloating and stomach aches. It’s been known to improve digestion, and therefore can relieve your stomach of unneeded stress or cramping.
4. Reclining Twist (Bharadvaja)
Start out on your back again for this position and press your back and shoulder blades into your mat (or mattress). Once there, slowly lift your left knee, reaching up with your right hand, and allow your knee to fall towards the other side of your body (with the support of your hand). This should create a twist that you can feel in your lower back and stomach. Once you’ve stayed there for five to ten breaths, swap sides and repeat with the other leg.
This twist stretches out your abdominal muscles, which are probably quite tense from the cramps. It also helps with blood flow, and back pain. This is also our personal favourite for a nice release when coming out of the pose and back to reality.
5. Child’s pose (Balasana)
You should begin by kneeling on the floor for this position, and then slowly fold forward whilst extending your arms out in front. You should aim to bend yourself over as far as you can comfortably go – ideally with your forehead on the mat in front of you. Once there, take some deep breaths. You can also turn your head from side to side if it feels comfortable, giving your neck a nice stretch.
Not only is it our personal favourite, it’s also one of the easiest poses to grasp and one of the best for stretching out muscles that tense up during your period. It primarily focuses on your lower back but is also a great method to relieve tension in your upper back, shoulders, and neck.
Want to be leak-free and protected during your period yoga sesh?
It’s always important you feel protected doing any exercise during your period, especially when stretching out. Make sure you’re comfortable and leak-free with our organic tampons, reusable period pads or period pants.
With our DAMEdry™ technology, you’ll be fully protected to stretch, lunge and bleed to your heart's content without worry!
