Period Yoga Sequence to relieve menstrual cramps
As women we are lucky to have our bodies cleansing and renewing on monthly basis. And still maybe we don’t feel that lucky when this special time of the month is accompanied with period cramps and discomfort. Not to mention the mood swings and heighten emotions.
Luckily (here) we have my best friend Yoga in our service. Yoga in general and particularly in these case has been proven many times to work effectively. Apart from the science behind, I can speak from my personal experience as yogi and the experience from my students as a yoga teacher. So, let’s “get to work “.
The yoga sequence could be used before or during the period. For best results is to be practiced first one week (or few days) before your period is due. Once you establish this you might even get rid of the cramps before they started. However, if you are in this special time of the month while you are reading the article go ahead.
Set the mood. Play nice relaxing music, switch off your phone and maybe even light a candle or defuse essential oils.
Apasana - Wind release pose
Alignment:
Lie on your back flat on the floor, bend your legs and use both arms to pull your knees towards your body while you are relaxing the shoulder and shoulder blades on the mat. Keep the neck long.
Before you settle to hold the pose rock from side to side. Hold for 30 sec to 1 min.
Supta baddha konasana - Reclining Bound Angle pose
One of my all-time favorites. It’s beautiful pose which works magic. It opens the inner thighs and hips, helping the whole body and mind to unwind. The reclined butterfly stimulates the abdominal organs, the ovaries and prostate gland, bladder, and kidneys. Helps relieve the symptoms of menstruation and menopause and improves general circulation in the area while enhancing the feeling of relaxation.
Alignment:
Lie flat on your back, bend your legs and place the soles of your feet and heels together.
Allow your knees to fall out to the sides and sink to the floor and relax your arms alongside your body. Rock your hips side to side allowing them to be even on both sides. Close your eyes and bring the awareness inwards.
Breathe deeply. Allow with every breath your body to soften and melt down.This is a time for you. Stay from 30 sec to 1 min.
Note: If you are complete beginner hold first for not more than 10 breaths and try first to place the heels not too close to the groins. Overtime you can shorten the distance. Alternatively you can support your knees with block or rolled up blanket.
Balasana- Child pose
Child pose is a perfect way to let go and feel supported by the earth.To dive in effortlessness allowing yourself to be taken care of and be present in your body. Especially at that time of the month we can dive in into more Yin ( Female) qualities to the opposed Yang energies almost everything now days is. Is probably one of the most famous yoga poses, you came across in yoga class. Extremely relaxing which improves blood circulation and fatigue with tones of other benefits.
Alignment:
Come on the too of the mat, spread the knees apart, joining the big toes together.
Sit back on your heels( if there is big gap, place a roll towel between the heels and sitting bones).
Extend your arms forward, palms wide open. Inhale look up, exhale fold forward. Stay and breathe deeply directing the air towards the hips and lower back.
Allow your sitting bones to keep relaxing down towards the heels. Inhale lengthen your back, exhale relax your chest further down. Stay at least 30 seconds.
Note: Place a folded towel/ pillow under your head to be even more supported.
Baddha Konasana -Butterfly
Bound angle is another tons of benefits type of pose. Apart that the kidney, bladder and prostate function are stimulated, bound angle promotes regular menstruation.
Alignment:
From child pose come to sitting. Join the feet together and allow the knees to fall out to the side. Walk the feet as close as it fit comfortable towards the pubic bone.
Hold your feet with both hands. Inhale extend your spine on the exhale fold forward bending from the hips. If the inner thighs are tight, might be enough of a stretch by just joining the feet.
With each exhale relax your chest closer to towards your feet, with each inhale elongate your spine. Stay 10 breaths.
Janu Sirsasana - Head to knee pose
Another all time favorite, which makes me wonder, what I was going to do without.
Alignment:
From previous pose extend your right leg in front of you, walking the left food as close as possible to the opposite groin. If your left knee is uncomfortable or not touching the ground place a pillow or roll towel under.
Flex your right foot (toes moving towards the knees and heel pushing away). Engage your upper thigh and avoid overextending the knee. Turn your torso facing towards the right leg.
Inhale rise your arms above the head, exhale fold forward flexing from the hips. Place both hands on or around your outstretched leg. Only bend forward as far as you can keeping your back straight and long. Keep your sitting bones firmly rooted.
Allow the progress to happen gradually. Stay 10 breaths and repeat on the other side.
Paschimotanasana- Seated forward bend
Paschimotanasana stretches the whole spinal column and relaxes the central nervous system does helping with getting emotional and mood swings. The reproductive organs are tuned and massaged and is great pose to regulate the menstrual cycle apart from relieving pain.
Alignment :
Sit tall with your legs outstretched in front of you. Flex your feet. Remove flesh from the sitting bones. Lengthen from the crown of your head.
Inhale extend the arms above your head.Exhale fold forward flexing from the hips. If you can’t hook your big toes, whole the legs to the extend you feel stretch without strain.
“Pashimotanasana is the best among asanas.” Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Inhale look up, exhale fold again. Lower your torso onto your thighs, relax your neck and gently draw your chest to your legs. You can use a pillow under your forehead. For beginners you can hook a yoga strap( or scarf ) and place
Keep your shoulders away from the years and your lower back long.
Upavistha Konasna - Wide spread forward fold
Another all time favorite, this pose is a game changer. It stimulates the abdominal organs helping to relive menstrual cramps.
Alignment:
Extend your legs out to the sides till comfortable way. If you feel the stretch is too strong bend your knees.
Ground through your sitting bones. Keep your knees neutral by pointing up.
Inhale look up, exhale fold from the hips. Keep you back long.
Use your exhales to allow the chest gradually to come closer the floor and your hands to slide towards your ankles.
Tip: You can place a booster or yoga block in front of you and lower down your forearms and stay a bit longer if comfortable.
Bridge Pose
Alignment:
From the previous pose bring the knees into your chest and circle the knees few times both direction. On the exhale place your heels directly under the knees, feet hip distance apart facing forward, back flat, hands by your side.
Exhale tilt your hips forward, tucking the tailbone gently under.
Inhale lift the hips and back of the floor to a comfortable height. Press firmly the upper arms and shoulders on the floor.
Exhale tilt your hips forward, tucking the tailbone gently under.
Inhale lift the hips and back of the floor to a comfortable height. Press firmly the upper arms and shoulders on the floor.
Broaden the collarbones opening the chest. Keep your big toes an inner arches of both feet firmly pressing on the mat and the neck lengthening away of the spine. Slowly lower down vertebra by vertebra all the way down.
Note: to make it more therapeutic, place a folded blanket under your sacrum allowing the sacrum and sitting bones to melt on the folded blanket. Hold for 10 breaths.
Jathara Parivartanasana - Reclined twist
The reclined twist is beneficial for neutralizing the spine after forward (or backward) bending. It stimulates digestion and massages the internal organs.
Alignment:
Bend your knees into your chest and pause for a moment.
On the exhale lower your knees. Keep both shoulders and shoulder blades on the ground. Place a cushion under your knees if they can't touch the ground.Turn your head to the right.
Use your left hand to gently push the knees further down towards the ground while you are pressing the right shoulder down.
Stay 10 breaths at least before repeating on the other side.
Legs up the wall
Walk your mat next to a wall. Bring your hips as close as possible to the wall. Turn sides ways so you can place the hips and sitting bones as close as possible to the wall.
Lift your legs. Allow your hands to rest by your side, further relaxing the chest. Breathe mindfully here.
Savasana
And the most sweet of all asanas - Savasana. Give yourself few mins here. Play gentle relaxing music, layer up to make it more cosy and completely surrender. Give your self back - you deserve it .
Alignment:
Lie down on your back, allow your feet drop naturally to the sides and your arms away your body with palms facing upwards. Let go of controlling the breath.
Breathe effortlessly in and out. Be present.
Note: you can bend knees if the back is uncomfortable.