5 Yoga Poses That Help Relieve Menstrual Cramps

Menstrual cramps are a painful struggle for many women. These cramps happen due to the compression of the uterus to discard the endometrium. For some women, menstrual cramps can be distressing and discomforting. The pain is felt in the back and inner thighs.  Yoga has proven to be a significant weapon in controlling the negative effects associated with menstruation; for some women it has provided an alternative to pain relievers and avoiding everyday activities. Here we suggest 5 yoga poses to reduce menstrual cramps and also help to relax your mind.

Before You Get Started

If you are concerned about performing certain yoga poses while on your cycle, choose the appropriate pad or tampon that matches your flow. You may even wear both. Yonitox tampons and pads provide light, medium, and heavy flow protection. Our tampons feature expansion technology for optimal leak protection while exercising and our pads are light weight to allow you to stretch into various positions comfortably.

1.Knees-to-Chest pose (Apanasana)

One of the most useful poses for menstrual cramps is the Knees-to-Chest pose. This posture relaxes your lower back and abdominal muscles, dismissing stress and reducing your pain.

How to do it:

• Stretch your legs and arms by lying on your back on a mat or a flat surface.
• Draw both your knees to the chest while exhaling.
• Loosen your shoulder blades down toward your abdomen. Expand over your collar bones.
• Gently tuck your jaw in a position down and keep your face in a line of your body by lying down.
• Retain this position for some time until you feel relaxed with your smooth breathing.
• While exhaling, loosen your legs and arms, stretch and relax for a minute and breathe deeply.
• Repeat six times.

2. Standing Forward Bend Pose (Uttanasana)

Standing Forward Bend pose stretches your spine and the hips. It helps to relieve your menstrual cramps that spread down your legs and around your back by extending the hamstrings, calves, and spine.

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet together.
• Bend your knees gently and bend your body over your legs, driving from the hips, not the lower back.
• Put your hands next to your feet or on the area in front of you.
• Inhale and spread your chest to stretch your spine and keep your gaze focused forward.
• Exhale and smoothly press both legs toward straight.
• Raise your kneecaps and lightly spiral your upper and inner thighs back.
• Retain your legs straight without hyperextending.
• On an exhalation, stretch your body down without bending your back.
• Stay continued throughout your neck, spreading the top of your head toward the ground.
• Bring your shoulders down your back.

3. Child Pose (Balasana)

Child pose is a very relaxing pose that can help to reduce your menstrual cramps. The child pose helps in the alliance on your back and helps in alleviating the pain in the back area.

How to do it:

• Get to your hands and knees on your mat.
• Spread your knees as extended as your mat, retaining the tips of your feet on the ground with the big toes touching.
• Bring your stomach to rest between your thighs and your forehead to the ground.
• There are two arm variations; either stretch your arms in front of you with your palms toward the ground or draw your arms back beside your thighs with the palms facing upwards.
• Stay in this position as long as you want, ultimately reconnecting with the normal inhales and exhales of your breathing.

4. Reclined Spinal Twist Pose (Supta Matsyendrasana)

This yoga pose expands your spine. Retaining this position for a few minutes can help you relax the nerves during menstruation which can help relieve the abdominal pain.

How to do it:

• Start lying comfortably on the back.
• Bend your knees toward your chest and stretch your arms out beside the body with your palms facing up toward the roof.
• Inhale and extend your tailbone down toward the ground.
• As you exhale, lower both of your bent knees over to your right side, and move your gaze over to your left side.
• Retain your knees and feet close together, and push the backs of your shoulder blades down toward the mat.
• Continue in the twist for a few minutes breathing then inhale to get back up to center.
• Perform the twist on the other side.
• Wrap your arms around your legs and smoothly move from side to side to release the low back then stretch both your legs straight down onto the mat.

5. Cat-cow Pose (Chakravakasana)

Cat-cow poses target the back and abdominal muscles by stretching and toning them, this is useful in relieving  menstrual cramps.

How to do it:

• Start in a tabletop position with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Extend the crown of your head and the tailbone in opposite directions, equal to the ground.​
• Take a slow breath, round your spine and lower your head approaching the ground in a cat pose.
• Then inhale and lift up your head, chest, and tailbone approaching the roof as you arch your back for cow pose.
• Perform for 1 to 3 minutes.

Yoga can be a tender and healing option that helps you to deal with menstrual cramps. You can always trust Yonitox to match your energy and keep you stocked with pure products to address your feminine wellness while exercising.