10 Yoga and Relaxation Positions to Help Period Cramps
We all like being as comfortable as possible on our periods, and knowing this is why we’re so keen to help you find your perfect period cramp remedies here at fluxies.
You already know what to eat if you want to feel less painful and bloated, but what about when you’re doing things that are supposed to help you relax? Yoga, for instance?
We want to help here, too, and we’ve already got ten great positions to help period cramps already lined up and listed for you below, so you can start those stretches and get set for a more comfortable monthly cycle right away. You can even do some of these in bed before you get up, or before you go to sleep, if it will help to make you feel better!
1. Child’s pose (Balasana)
Child’s pose is a great way to start yourself off with yoga. It’s easy for beginners to get into and out of, it’s a fantastic method for clearing your mind, and it acts like a sort of “internal massage” for your organs. Just what you want if you’ve got menstrual cramps!
The pose targets period pain found primarily in the lower back, but it can also be a big relief if you’ve got tension in your upper back, shoulders, and neck as well. Start with your knees on the floor, fold forward, extend your arms, and bend down as far as you can comfortably go. If you can, lean your forehead on the floor or mat in front of you for five slow, diaphragmatic breaths (breaths you take in your belly, not your chest). You can also turn your head slowly from side to side, counting five breaths before turning your head the other way.
If you’d like to help this pain relief technique a little more, try widening your knees farther apart than you might have otherwise. This is called “adapted child’s pose”.
2. Bound Angle pose (Baddha Konasana)
Experts swear by this pose, especially if you’re suffering from other PMS-related symptoms, like diarrhoea or uncomfortable bloating and stomach aches. This is because it has another brilliant purpose, alongside taking care of annoying menstrual pain ‒ it looks after your digestive system!
This pose is all about feeling good, so you’ll know when you’re doing it right for you. Start by sitting upright with your chest up and your legs out in front of you. Breathe in, and as you breathe out, bring your legs in towards you so that your feet meet in the middle. If it feels hard on your knees at all, modify your position so that it feels more comfortable.
3. Reclined Bound Angle pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Like the bound angle pose? Well, this is just like it, only you’ll be leaning backwards instead of forwards. It has a whole host of benefits, including the fact that it can relieve period symptoms ranging from anxiety and insomnia to fatigue and headaches. With all your period symptoms taken care of in one of the most common yoga poses, you won’t need to worry about being brought down by your time of the month again!
You can even lie flat on your back if it makes the experience better for you, and it’s an easy pose to begin or end the day if you’re in bed. It also helps to open up your abdominal and chest muscles, which is a nice bonus.
4. Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend (Upavistha Konasana)
We know the name is a bit of a mouthful when it’s written in English, but we can safely say it’s worth it if you want a calmer, clearer mind and less severe menstrual pain each month.
To begin, sit like you would if you were going to start an ordinary bound angle pose. But, instead of bending and bringing your legs inwards until your feet meet, put them out as wide as you can and lean forward until you can put your hands comfortably on the floor or mat in front of you and keep your palms flat. This should help stimulate your abdominal organs, and ease period cramping.
5. Reclining Twist (Bharadvaja)
You might also see this pose called the Supine twist, or Supta Matsyendrasana, but the relief will be the same under any name. It’s also one of the most popular positions to help period cramps, both because it feels good and because it’s well-known for its health benefits.
Start out flat on your back, pressing your shoulder blades against the floor or mat beneath you. Then, slowly bend your left knee, reaching up with your right hand, and slowly let your knee fall towards the right-hand side until it creates a twist that’s good for both your lower back and your belly. Look to your left and reach your arms out wide on the ground, keeping your palms flat on the mat or floor. You’ll want to stay there for five deep breaths, and you can repeat it with your other leg once you’re done.
The twist you’re creating in your middle essentially “wrings out” your abdominal muscles, but it’s also great for your back, hips, and shoulders. You’ll also be getting a fresh blood flow that goes straight through your digestive system, to keep it in its best working condition. You won’t find a better pose if you need a good release, either, because untwisting yourself after you’re done feels amazing too!
6. Inverted Leg pose (Viparita Karani)
This is a rather fun pose to do, and you’ll get a ton of physical, mental, and emotional benefits from giving it a try! It’s good for your circulation and digestive system, lowers blood pressure, gives a great boost to your energy levels, and helps to soothe your nervous system. Lots of people even say that it can help with creative thinking and problem solving, so if you can’t focus on something that’s important and needs an answer, why not go ahead and see what happens?
Find a wall anywhere you feel most comfortable in your home, sit on the floor facing it, lay back and move your legs up the wall so that they’re flat against it. Basically, your body should be at a 90° angle. Staying in this pose for a while should help you to chill out and relax, even if your PMS is playing up and is sending your moods all over the place!
7. Head to Knee Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana)
You might think that there have been a lot of forward bend poses on this list, and you’d be right. But it’s for a really good reason; it’s because forward bends have the best stimulating effect on your abdominal and reproductive muscles. They’re also some of the easier poses to begin with if you’re just starting out because they’re easily modified to your own level of experience.
With this pose, you’ll need to start in the same way as the others ‒ sat upright, with your legs out. Only this time, you’ll need to bring one leg in, so that your foot touches the inside of your thigh, while keeping the other leg out straight but at a slight angle. As you breathe in deeply, raise your arms above your head and turn your body towards your outstretched leg, bending over and reaching out so that your hands reach out and touch it. You can then rest your hands there as long as you’re in the pose, or put your arms either side of your leg.
It doesn’t matter how far you reach out; all shapes are good for you in this pose, and they all help to relieve anxiety, headaches, fatigue, and menstrual cramps in general. It’s even been said that this pose is good for helping with depression.
8. Corpse pose (Shavasana)
A lot of people argue that this is the most relaxing yoga pose of them all, and it’s certainly a popular choice for ending any session. This is because it’s good for focusing your mind, and for letting yourself “switch off” after you’ve been hard at work. In turn, this also makes it great for using mindfulness to help manage your menstrual pain.
All you have to do in this pose is lay on your back, keeping your legs, hips, shoulders, and neck aligned, and close your eyes. Take in some deep, slow breaths, let your feet relax and fall to the sides, and let your mind clear. When you’re ready to stop, simply roll to the side and return to a seated position.
If you do this last thing at night while you’re in bed, you can also just easily let yourself drift off to a nice, comfortable sleep.
9. Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana)
This two-part pose is fantastic for both your back and your abdominal muscles, helping you to gently stretch them and giving a lot of relief from cramps.
If you start in the “cow” part of the pose, you’ll have your hands and knees on the floor or mat beneath you. Check to make sure that your hands are aligned with your shoulders and your knees are aligned with your hips before you begin to get the most out of the experience. Then, gently bring your head upwards so you’re looking at the sky as you breathe in.
At the same time as this, you should bring your tailbone towards the sky, while dropping your belly towards the ground.
Breathe normally for a few breaths and take a moment in this position, before you think of moving into the cat pose. After one last deep inhalation, breathe out slowly and curl your back so that your head and tailbone stretch towards the ground. This should warm your back muscles, while also stretching and toning your abdominals.
You should repeat these parts 5 to 20 times, exhaling on the “cat” part and inhaling on the “cow”, to help relieve the pain of period cramps.
10. Pigeon pose (Kapotasana)
Last but not least, we’ve got the pigeon pose, which is just what you need if you’re looking to take the pressure off your hips when you’re experiencing menstrual cramps. It’ll help you stretch and take that pressure right off!
To start, you should put yourself in an upright position. Bend your right knee and extend your left leg so that it’s behind you. Then, arch your back as you place your hands on your hips. If you want a more intense stretch than this, you can achieve it by reaching over your head and bringing your arms together.
There are lots of variations of the pigeon pose, so you might want to explore them all and find the one that feels best for you when you’re on your period.
Need comfy, leak-proof undies for your yoga session?
No yoga session is complete without the perfect set of comfortable, breathable clothes to wear while you’re doing it. The one problem you might find is making sure you stay dry and leak-free while you’re busy going through your poses. It’s also a problem we can fix with our fabulous collections of period pants here at fluxies!
All of our pairs are designed and made using built-in multi-layer technology, keeping them soft, leak-proof, and totally absorbent, no matter what kind of flow you’re having. They’re also moisture-wicking, so they’ll take away any extra sweat you’ve built up from your workout, all while staying discreet and form-fitting underneath your clothes.
When you sign up to hear about our news and info, you’ll even get 10% off your first order, so why not give a few of our pairs a try? Browse through all the great undies we’ve got available and find the ones that will be just right for a yoga pose or two today!