Relieving Painful Periods: An Effective Yoga Routine
Menstrual pain, known as dysmenorrhea, isn't just a matter of hormones: it often results from an overall imbalance in the body. Several factors can be the cause: a hormonal imbalance, insulin resistance, a genetic predisposition, poor lifestyle habits, an unsuitable diet, chronic stress, or a disrupted metabolism. Certain conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular disorders can also worsen the symptoms.
To relieve this pain in a lasting way, it's essential to adopt a comprehensive routine, based on three pillars:
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Gentle physical activity and yoga, combined with deep breathing (pranayama), to calm the nervous system and rebalance the hormones.
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A suitable diet , rich in healthy fats, fiber, and soaked seeds (sunflower, sesame, mustard, fenugreek), to support hormonal and digestive functions.
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A mental refocusing , incorporating principles of naturopathy and Ayurveda, to calm the mind, reduce inflammation, and restore inner balance.
In the rest of the article, discover a targeted yoga routine, passed down by an Indian yoga teacher, designed to gently support your menstrual cycle.
1. Baddha Konasana (butterfly pose)
A gentle and effective classic to safely open the hips.
Technique: Sitting, bring the soles of your feet together, knees relaxed outward. Gently flutter your legs like butterfly wings, then hold your feet and lean forward gently. Stay there for 5 to 10 deep breaths.
Benefits:
- Stimulates the reproductive organs,
- Promotes blood circulation in the pelvic area
- Helps regulate menstrual cycles.
2. Bhujangasana (little cobra pose)
To strengthen without straining: a gentle extension that activates the back muscles.
Technique: lying on your stomach, chin on the ground, hands under the shoulders, inhale and gently lift the upper chest using the strength of the back. The arms support but do not push, like the cobra, which has no arms or hands.
Benefits:
- Stimulates the digestive organs
- Reduces stress
- Improves blood circulation to the reproductive organs
- Balances hormones and supports ovarian function.
3. Skandasana (side lunge pose)
A pose of fluidity that releases the hips and stimulates feminine energy.
Technique: Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart. Take a big step: take a big step forward with one foot and bend the front knee. Extend the back leg: extend the back leg and keep the back foot grounded. Lower the pelvis: lower the pelvis toward the ground, keeping the back straight and the hips open. Hold the pose: hold the pose for a few breaths, then return to the starting position
Benefits:
- Stretching the hips and legs: can help improve blood circulation in the reproductive organs.
- Helps reduce tension in the hip and leg muscles.
- Stress reduction
- Helps improve ovarian function and regulate menstrual cycles.
4. Balasana (child's pose)
Balasana, or child's pose, is an asana of comfort, relaxation, and grounding, found in all yoga practices. Depending on its variations, it can also stimulate the digestive process.
Technique: Kneel down, with your hips resting on your heels and your knees spread hip-width apart. Take a deep breath and slide your hands forward. Gently let your back lengthen, as you sit back on your heels, and your belly come to rest on your thighs. Your front should touch the ground. To intensify the pose, stretch your arms far forward, with your fingers on the ground in an inverted cup and your elbows lifted.
Benefits:
- Promotes and stimulates digestion
- Fights stress and fatigue
- Calms brain activity
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Reduces stress and anxiety, promotes relaxation, and calms the nervous system.
Caution: Never force this pose. Do not pull on your neck to touch the ground with your forehead, and avoid forcing yourself to touch your heels. Use yoga props, such as a block or a folded blanket, to help you hold the pose comfortably. This pose is not recommended for pregnant women or people with knee problems or who have had surgery.
5. Asana Paschimottan (seated forward bend)
"Paschima" literally means "west," referring to the back of the body, which evokes a stretch of the entire posterior chain. "Uttana," meanwhile, refers to a deep or intense stretch. This pose therefore lengthens the entire posterior chain of the body, from the lower back to the heels.
Technique: with legs extended in front of you, lean forward from the hips, keeping your back straight. Try to grasp your feet with your hands without forcing.
Benefits:
- Stimulates the ovaries: helps regulate menstrual cycles
- Stretches the muscles of the back and legs, which can improve blood circulation in the reproductive organs.
- Relieves back tension
- Massages the abdominal organs and promotes digestion
6. Malasana (garland pose)
Technique: breathe deeply, start standing, feet shoulder-width apart. Turn your feet slightly outward. Bend your knees and lower your pelvis toward the ground. Keep your back straight and your hips open, then place your hands on your knees or on the ground to support your body. Keep your knees apart to allow the hips to open . Breathe deeply and steadily throughout the pose. Hold the pose for a few breaths.
Benefits :
- Improves blood circulation
- Stimulates the ovaries,
- Reduces stress, which can help balance hormones.
- Helps improve ovarian function and regulate menstrual cycles.
7. Halasana (plow pose)
Halasana (Plough Pose) takes its name from the "plow," a farming tool used in India to prepare the soil. "Hal" = "plow" and "asana" = pose or posture. Just as the plow tills the earth, this pose offers deep rejuvenation to the body and mind.
Technique: Lying on your back, draw your ribs and shoulder blades forward. Stretch your spine toward the pelvis and move the lower back away from the buttocks. Interlace your fingers behind your back, stretch your arms toward the ground. Lift your kneecaps and push your thighs toward the back of your legs. Roll your shoulders back, press them into the ground, and anchor your arms. Stretch your chest toward the pelvis and bring the pelvis above the face. Direct your heels toward your knees and your gaze toward your chest.
Benefits:
- Improves digestion
- Tones the spinal nerves and nervous system
- Regulates thyroid gland activity and, subsequently, the reproductive hormones.
8. Navasana (boat pose)
Navasana is a contraction of the Sanskrit word nava, meaning boat, and asana. Its full name in Sanskrit is actually paripurna navasana. Paripurna is a Sanskrit term meaning "entire" or "complete."
Technique: Start in a seated position, legs extended in front of you. Lift your legs and torso, keeping your hands at the sides of your knees. Keep your balance on your seat, engaging the abdominal muscles. Breathe deeply and steadily throughout the pose.
Benefits:
- Strengthens the abdominal muscles
- Improves balance
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Stimulates the digestive organs
9. Utkata Konasana (goddess pose)
Utkata Konasana is called Goddess/Devi Pose. Utkata means "fierce," so the pose is also known as the Fierce Angle Pose. It is a powerful yoga pose with a great stretch for the shoulders and core strength. It is considered one of the best poses for stronger, leaner legs.
Technique: Start in Tadasana (mountain pose), open your feet to each side. Your heels are below your shoulders or a little further apart depending on your comfort zone, and they form a straight line on the ground. Your feet are open at an angle of about 45 degrees. Draw the pelvis in, and activate your abdominal muscles. Stretch your spine, open and release your shoulders. On the inhale, raise your elbows to shoulder level and form a right angle. On the exhale, bend your knees at a right angle above your ankles toward the little toe.
Benefits:
- Reduces stress
- Opens the hips and groin
- Stimulates blood circulation, helping to promote healthy digestion
- Tones the core
- Improves flexibility
- Muladhara Chakra: A way to activate and balance this chakra, foster a sense of connection with the earth, and therefore with active reproductive organs.
To close: 2 gentle breathing exercises
10. Anulom vilom
Anulom Vilom is a yogic Pranayama technique that involves alternating breathing between the two nostrils. This technique is also known as "alternate nostril breathing" or "Nadi Shodhana." "Anulom" means with the natural flow and "Vilom" against the natural flow.
Technique: Close one nostril: close one nostril with your thumb or index finger. Breathe through the other nostril: breathe through the other nostril. Switch nostrils: switch nostrils and breathe through the other one.
Benefits:
- Balances the solar and lunar energies in the body.
- Purifies the energy channels
- Reduces stress and anxiety.
- Improves concentration
11. Yogic breathing - pranayama
"Yogic Breathing" or "Pranayama" is a mindful breathing practice that aims to control and regulate breathing to influence the mental and physical state.
Technique: Sitting with your back straight, shoulders relaxed, place one hand on your belly and one on your ribs. Start by exhaling all the air you have. Inhale, feel your belly expand and then spread into your rib cage, moving up to your collarbones. Exhale, start by relaxing the belly, then the rib cage while slightly contracting the abdominal muscles to fully empty the lungs.
Benefits:
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Balances energies in the body
- Improves physical and mental health.
- Improves breathing,
General contraindications
Current injuries: Avoid poses that could worsen existing injuries (back, knees, shoulders, hips, etc.).
Serious health issues: If you suffer from chronic or serious conditions (cardiac, neurological, etc.), seek advice from a healthcare professional before any practice.
Pregnancy: Some poses may not be suitable for pregnant women, particularly those involving twists or abdominal pressure.
Specific contraindications for the poses covered:
- Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose) and Skandasana (Side Lunge): to be avoided in case of pain or injuries to the knees or hips
- Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose): contraindicated if you suffer from lower back pain or spinal issues.
- Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend): to be avoided in case of hamstring injuries or knee sensitivity.
- Halasana (Plow Pose): not recommended in case of neck problems or spinal injuries.
Always listen to your body. If in doubt, opt for a modified version of the pose or seek advice from a qualified teacher.
