A feeling of easiness, lightness, and happiness is often experienced effect after starting doing yoga. Physically, yoga has a therapeutic effect. It regulates the endocrine system. The levels of the hormones change during the menstrual cycle that’s why yoga is especially important for women. In this article, you will get to know whether yoga is recommended during menstruation and how it affects our menstrual cycle.
Until the 20th century, most yoga guidance did not differentiate between men and women because yoga was mainly practiced by men. Now, when yoga has become more popular in the West we can find specific guidance that addresses women in yoga.
We experience the menstrual cycle in different ways. For some of us, menstruation is easy, while for others it is painful and restricting. The best suggestion to practice or not while menstruating is to ask: ” How do I feel?”. Our personal intuition tells us if we are capable to practice yoga or not. However, yoga is highly recommended because of its many pros.
Yoga pros during menstruation
Yes, yoga is a practice that can be done during menstruation. Sometimes it is even recommended due to its adaptogenic effect on a woman’s body.
Yoga stimulates the endocrine system.
Most issues related to menstrual periods are due to hormonal problems. Yoga stimulates the endocrine system and helps to detoxify all the bodily systems and helps menstrual periods to take place easily and without a premenstrual period.
Yoga promotes relaxation.
Due to the hormone changes during the menstrual period, the level of energy decreases, and the body demands rest and relaxation. Yoga, deep breathing, and meditation practices are recommended because they promote relaxation and are particularly soothing for the abdomen. Yoga can help quell the feeling of anxiety that naturally occurs during the menstrual cycle.
Yoga lowers menstrual pain.
One study showed that women who had experienced menstrual pain during menstruation reported decreased menstrual pain after the 12-weeks yoga intervention.* The practice of yoga can be especially useful for those women who suffer from lower back pain associated with the menstrual cycle.
Poses recommended during menstruation
There are many poses and practices beneficial for women when menstruating. Some of them are for beginners and others are more for an advanced yogi.
These poses include: forward bends, standing poses, poses done lying on the stomach or back.
- Extended Hand To Big Toe Pose
- Half Moon Pose
- Reclining Hero Pose
- Reclining Bound Angle Pose
- Fish Pose
- Cross Pose
- Forward Facing Hero Pose
- Bound Angle Pose
- Head to Knee Forward Bend
- Seated Forward Bend
- One Leg Folded Forward Bend
- Half Bound Lotus Forward Fold
- Seated Side Stretch Pose
- Upward Facing Seated Straddle Pose
Poses to practice not only during periods but also at all times to keep periods regular and normal:
- Seated Angle Pose
- Bound Angle Pose
- Hero Pose
- Head to Knee Pose
- Seated Forward Bend
- Standing Forward Bend
Breathing techniques highly recommended during menstruation days:
- Ujjayi
- Viloma pranayama
Poses not recommended during menstruation
Regardless of the positive yoga effect to our body, there are some poses that are not recommended during the period because they can cause vascular congestion in the pelvic area and block the downward flow of blood.
- Headstand Yoga Pose
- Shoulder Stand Pose
- Bow Pose
- Plow Pose
- Ear Pressure Pose
- Crow Pose
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REFERENCES:
Raman Das Mahatyagi – Yatan Yoga: A Natural Guide to Health and Harmony
Effect of Yoga Exercise on Premenstrual Symptoms among Female Employees in Taiwan – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4962262/
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