During menstruation, it’s recommended to avoid certain yoga poses, especially those that are very strenuous, invert the body, or apply intense pressure to the abdominal region. Allow yourself to relax with each exhale, letting go of tension in your body, especially around your hips and lower back. For added lower back support, place a folded blanket or a bolster under your hips. To make the pose more comfortable, place yoga blocks or pillows under each knee. Keep your feet hip-width apart and parallel, and place your arms alongside your body with palms facing down. If you can’t reach your feet, hold onto your shins or use a yoga strap around your feet. Also Read: Yoga for Anxiety. Paschimottanasana, or Seated Forward Bend, is another safe yoga pose during menstrual periods. This pose gently stretches the inner thighs and groin area, which can help alleviate tension often associated with menstrual cramps. Gentle stretching and relaxing poses like the child’s pose, cat-cow and forward bends can alleviate period cramps and reduce back pains. It’s also known for its ability to induce a state of relaxation and can aid in alleviating menstrual cramps. Yes, pranayama practices like deep breathing or Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing) can be very helpful.

Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing): This technique is great for balancing emotions and calming the mind. Whether it’s through gentle asanas, soothing pranayama, or calming meditation, yoga provides a holistic approach to ease menstrual discomfort, balance emotions, and maintain well-being. Ujjayi Breath: Known as the "oceanic breath," Ujjayi can be calming and help in maintaining a rhythm and focus during yoga practice. It’s common to go through phases of feeling angry, indecisive, frustrated, sad and pretty much any other emotion you can think of. Every cycle is extremely individual, but it is argued that syncing any sort of movement practice with your hormonal phases can actually reduce symptoms of PMS. The reasoning is that inversions can disturb the natural downward flow during your period. These poses can be uncomfortable and may disrupt the natural flow of your cycle. Guided Imagery or Yoga Nidra: These forms of meditation involve visualization or guided relaxation techniques that can be soothing and restorative. Stress Reduction: Meditation can significantly reduce stress and anxiety, which is particularly helpful during periods when emotions can fluctuate. Use a meditation practice to get back in touch with how you’re feeling and figure out what is/isn’t serving you.

This is when your body might begin to crave a restorative practice as you come closer to starting your period. This makes the pose more restorative and less intense. It is a restorative inversion where you lie on your back with your legs extended vertically up a wall. This is when we will want to start scaling the intensity of our asana practice back. Gently turn to lie flat on your back while extending your legs up the wall. This is because we aren’t over-stressing the body at a time during which it would be counter-productive to do so, so we don’t need to worry about creating inflammation that may turn into PMS symptoms. Release your head towards the floor, but don’t force your chin to your chest. Breathing calmly, hold this pose for about 15 to 30 seconds, then release and exhale. Hold the pose for a couple of seconds, breathing deeply.

Your body may require gentler practices, and deep forward bends might feel uncomfortable for some. It’s also worth noting that your ligaments may be a bit more tender here, so go careful if you are trying any new or more challenging asanas where there is a possibility of injury. If you do practice, avoid asanas like shoulder stands that put excess stress on your pelvic area. It provides not just physical relief from menstrual discomforts but also promotes emotional balance and stress relief. Stress Reduction: Yoga involves mindfulness and deep breathing, which are effective in lowering stress levels. They aid in relaxation, stress relief, and maintaining a balanced energy level. This is our autumn season, so our energy begins to become more intuitive and inward facing again. This change in our energy doesn’t just show up in our bodies and physical health, but throughout all areas of our lives - our diets, social life, work, and our mental health.

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