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Yoga During Menstruation: Balance and Relief

That familiar tightening in your lower abdomen signals what you already know: your monthly cycle has begun. In the quiet moments before the day demands your attention, you consider your options. Rest completely? Push through as if nothing’s changed? Pop that friendly yellow tablet that magically makes the pain go away?

For millions of women, this monthly guest brings not only physical pain but a mental haze that makes even the most basic tasks seem Herculean. While the initial response may be to hug a heating pad and wait it out, old school wisdom combined with new research indicates a different strategy – one that doesn’t involve pushing through discomfort, but instead using gentle movement as healing medicine.

The Menstrual Paradox: When to Move and When to Rest

The interaction of menstruation and yoga is a lovely paradox. While some practices can decrease pain during periods substantially and increase general wellbeing, others may increase discomfort or interfere with the natural processes of the body. Realizing this balance is key.

Traditional yoga philosophy describes menses as a very tender period in the life of a woman and is undergone differently by every woman. It is a time of intensified sensitivity and a time when the woman must pay attention and discern the body.

This sensitivity isn’t weakness – it’s intelligence. Your increased awareness during menses provides a time to build a more instinctual practice, one that acknowledges your shifting requirements along your cycle.

What Science Shows About Yoga During Menstruation

Recent clinical trials have validated what has been known for millennia by demonstrating practitioners: recurrent yoga practice can substantially diminish menstrual pain and enhance the quality of life. Studies included in medical journals show that performing yoga exercises for only 30 minutes twice a week for 12 weeks results in quantifiable gains in menstrual distress.

And perhaps most appealing to the millions of women who have difficulty sleeping during their periods, yoga holds special promise for enhancing PMS sleep quality.

The Poses That Help (And Those To Avoid)

The tradition of yoga provides detailed advice regarding which practices sustain menstrual ease and which may upset the natural processes of the body. Some of the most helpful postures include:

Baddha Konasana (Cobbler’s Pose): This gentle hip opener “expands the pelvic area” and can be prop-modified to offer maximum comfort. The seated pose with feet together and knees dropping outward creates room in just the areas that tend to feel most restricted during menstruation.
Dandasana (Staff Pose): Although it appears to be a simple seated pose, it “improves the health of the back muscles” and “enhances posture” – relieving the lower back pain that often accompanies menstruation.
Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend): This forward bend “allows menstrual cycles to balance out” and “tones the pelvic-abdominal region” when done regularly. During actual menstruation, a modified version with slightly bent knees can be helpful.
Child’s Pose (Balasana): While not named in our source texts, this pose is highly recommended everywhere for its gentle lower back stretching and deep relaxation-inducing properties – ideal for days of the period.

As critical as it is to know what to practice is knowing what not to do. Ancient wisdom warns against:

Inversions such as headstand and shoulder stand, especially on days of heavy flow
Backbends that generate compression in the pelvic area
Drastic twists that compress abdominal organs
Bandhas (locks of energy) that could disrupt natural energy flow

This advice is consistent with Ayurvedic views which acknowledge menstruation as a period where “Apana” (downward-flowing energy) is naturally predominant. Methods that strongly engage upward-moving energy can conflict with this natural current.

The Deeper Wisdom: Menstruation as Inward Healing

Perhaps the deepest wisdom of both ancient teachings and contemporary studies is the awareness of menstruation as the Ayurvedic “time of inward healing.” Instead of struggling against symptoms or pushing against normality, this viewpoint calls for an alternative relationship to our cyclical monthly process.

This responsibility to oneself isn’t about struggling alone – quite the opposite – it encourages women to cultivate self-practices that respect their personal experience. Gentle movement works best for some, while others require total rest. Some practice each day through the cycle, and others adapt very differently during menstruation.

Building Your Period Practice: A How-To Guide

Drawing on scientific research and old wisdom, the following is an outline for cultivating your own period-friendly yoga practice:

Days 1-2 (Heaviest Flow): Spend time in restorative postures such as Supported Child’s Pose, Reclined Bound Angle Pose with props, and calming breathing techniques. Keep classes short (15-20 minutes) and richly nurturing.
Days 3-5 (Medium to Light Flow): Ease into gentle seated postures such as Dandasana, Baddha Konasana, and Upavistha Konasana. Be mindful of energy levels and adjust accordingly.
Post-Period Practice: Ongoing practice of poses such as Paschimottanasana during your cycle can possibly alleviate discomfort during subsequent periods by keeping the pelvic joints flexible and the core strong.

The research indicates that it is consistency rather than intensity that counts. Those women who practiced yoga 2-3 times a week had considerable improvements in menstrual symptoms within 10-12 weeks, suggesting that a long-term practice pays more dividends than spasmodic heavy workouts.

Beyond the Physical: Yoga's Emotional Benefits During Periods

The advantages of yoga while menstruating reach beyond the physical realm. There are documented decreases in emotional and behavioral symptoms of PMS as a result of consistent practice. Such emotional self-regulation may be especially helpful during a phase where hormonal change can lead to mood instability.

When you’re suffering from period fog, it can be helpful to discover a peaceful spot in your mind. The meditative qualities of yoga practice provide this peaceful mental place, creating a refuge during a potentially trying time.

The Modern Challenge: Respecting Natural Cycles

Perhaps the biggest challenge to women today is making room for the natural rhythms of menstruation in a world that seldom pays attention to them. The cultural pressure to always be productive no matter where we are in our cycle tends to result in muscling through symptoms instead of honoring the body’s needs.

Yoga provides not only physical methods but a philosophical vision that cherishes alignment with natural rhythms. Such vision encourages a radical reappropriation of menstruation as not only something to be survived but a moment that, when well respected, could potentially bring special understanding and healing.

The wisdom is elegant but straightforward: listen to your body, move with care, rest when necessary, and have faith that respecting these natural cycles builds more health and harmony in the long run.

~ Written by Ritika S