Yoga Poses That Help With Period Pain - Yoga Poses to Ease Menstrual Pain

What is period pain?

Every month, a healthy female body releases an egg from the ovary, which then implants in the uterus. If the egg is not fertilized, it is expelled from the body along with the uterine line, which is shed as bleeding. Periods, or menstruation, is what we call it.

Many women suffer cramps in the lower abdomen region of their bodies during or shortly before their periods. Cramps or menstrual pain are the terms for this type of discomfort.

What causes these cramps?

In order for the lining to be eliminated with the egg, contractions in the uterine muscles are required. Prostaglandins, a hormone-like group of lipids that induce inflammation and discomfort during contractions, are responsible for triggering these contractions. It's for this reason why you have cramps.

Why yoga for period pain?

Yoga is an ancient Indian type of exercise that not only keeps you active and lean, but is also known to relieve a variety of ailments, allowing you to live a healthy and disease-free life. Yoga is recognized to help with period-related problems, among its many advantages.

There are many yoga poses for pain relief during periods that work wonderfully for so many women.

What are the best yoga poses for relieving period cramps?

Try these yoga poses to get relief from menstrual cramps, which can be very uncomfortable and painful at times.

1. Balasana (Child’s Pose)

• Sit on your heels, slightly apart or hip-width apart, with your knees slightly apart (whichever you are comfortable with).
• Bend forward and carefully raise your arms.
• Gently push your torso into your thighs after your forehead meets the ground.
• For one minute, hold this posture.
• Gently sit up by putting your palms towards your shoulders.

2. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

• Lie down flat on the floor, your stomach touching the ground or the mat.
• Keep your elbows pushed backwards and your hands on the ground.
• Maintain a straight, connected pair of legs while bending your ankles and toes to the floor.
• Raise your head up while inhaling and keeping your hands pressed on the ground and elbows bent.
• Stretch your neck as much as possible by pushing your head backwards.
• Hold the position for a few moments before lowering to the ground and repeating the pose 5 times.

3. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

• Lie down flat on your stomach on the floor or a yoga mat.
• Begin by softly breathing and bending your legs backwards toward your head.
• Hands above head, reach towards your ankles.
• Your stomach now supports your full bodily weight.
• Return to your previous position after holding the position for 20 seconds and repeat the entire thing for at least 4 to 5 times.

4. Matsyasana (Fish Pose)

• Lay flat on the floor, keeping your back downwards.
• As you touch your waistline with your elbows, your arms should be beneath your hips.
• Bend your knees outwards and cross your legs one over the other, keeping your thighs in contact with the ground.
• Raise your upper body and head while inhaling.
• Exhale and relax back on the floor after a few minutes in this position.

5. Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose)

• Knees facing sideways, sit on the floor with your legs bent.
• Make a strong connection between your hands and both feet.
• Flap your thighs while staying in this position.
• Do this for a few minutes before releasing and returning to your original position.

6. Bitilasana Marjaryasana (Cat Cow Pose)

• Kneel down on the ground and bend forward while stretching your arms out wide.
• Keep your feet and knees together and your arms aligned with your shoulders.
• Slowly come to the table-top position, and get on all fours, while keeping your knees and palms pressed to the floor.
• Now, raise your back up as high as you can while holding your position. This creates a deep spinal cord stretch. Hold this position for a good few seconds before releasing it.
• Now gently release and do an inverted stretch, pushing your belly downwards and raising your head up while pulling at your shoulders.
• Repeat this for about 5 to 20 times to relieve cramps.

7. Upavistha Konasana (Seated Side Stretch Pose)

• Seat on the floor or mat with your legs stretched out.
• Push them out to the sides to open them up as much as you can.
• With your arms stretched out, bend forwards and try to touch your head to the ground.
• Reach as much as you can and hold on to the pose for a few minutes.
• Repeat for as long as you want.

8. Kapotasana (Pigeon Pose)

• Kneel down on the ground and sit on your left hip while pushing both legs to the other side.
• Extend your right leg behind you so as to rest on your right thigh and left leg.
• Now, you can hold this position or take it one step further by bending the right knee and shooting the leg upwards.
• Taking your arms over your head, hold your right ankle while trying to touch the right foot with your head, keeping the left leg in the same position as before.
• Hold the position for a few seconds, release and then again repeat a couple of times.

9. Savasana (Corpse Pose)

• Lie down on the ground, flat on your back and keep your eyes closed.
• Take a few deep breathes and relax completely.
• Stretch your legs out and create an inverted ‘V’.
• Spread your arms out slightly, while keeping them touched to the floor, your palms facing upwards.
• Keep breathing and hold the position for as long as you like.

10. Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist Pose)

• Start by lying down on your back on the floor or the mat.
• Stretch your arms out wide, holding them perpendicular to your sides and keeping the palms facing upwards.
• Then, slowly raise one leg over the other while bending your knee and pushing your body to that side.
• Let your leg be bent and your knee touching the floor.
• Holding this position, twist your upper body to the opposite side of the leg that is on top of the other so that your upper body and bent leg are facing in opposite directions.
• Twist as much as you can and hold for a minute.
• Release and repeat as many times as need to alleviate the pain.