How Does Yoga Help With Periods and PMS Symptoms?

Some of the most common symptoms of PMS (premenstrual syndrome) include abdominal pain, muscle cramps, bloating, fatigue, nausea, headaches or migraines, and pain in the pelvic region or lower back. We can only hope everyone experiences these to a minimum, but some period cycles are less agreeable than others, and discomfort can strike at any stage of your menstrual cycle — not just right before or during menses.

When you need some extra relief for those pesky symptoms, consider yoga to manage pain and discomfort sometimes comes hand in hand with stages of the menstrual cycle. If you find you’re experiencing extreme or unmanageable symptoms, check with your healthcare provider to get an expert’s advice on what’s best for your body.

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4 Yoga Poses That Help Ease Period Pain And PMS Symptoms

We’ve got all the right moves to ease your body, mind, and your mood. These poses are known for being helpful in bringing relief from discomfort caused by period pain.

1. Bound Angle Pose

How To Do It:

Sitting with your knees bent and the soles of your feet together, press your bottom into the floor as you stretch your spine upward. Let your knees fall to the sides gently without forcing them down as you sit up straight and lift your chin and chest as you stretch. 

How It Helps:

The bound angle yoga pose helps to stretch the pelvic region and open the hips, increasing circulation and relieving symptoms like cramping and bloating. Stimulating this area also helps relieve lower back and abdominal pain. Ah, sweet relief!

2. Child’s Pose

How To Do It:

Gentle stances like child’s pose are great yoga for beginners and puts very little strain on what may be an already tired body. To enter child’s pose, kneel with your knees hip-width apart and your toes together behind you, resting your hands on your thighs. Lower your torso between your knees as you exhale, and let your shoulders relax and roll forward to rest on the ground as long as you feel you want to.

How It Helps:

Many yoga poses benefit you externally, but child’s pose is also a flex for your organs. Think of it as a little rubdown for your insides while you stretch. This pose flexes the reproductive organs in the pelvic region, and also releases tension in the back, shoulders, and neck. 

3. Supine Twist Pose

How To Do It:

Lie down on your back with your arms straight out to the sides. Bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor, pressing down to lift your hips slightly and shift to one side. As you exhale, draw one knee to your chest as you extend your other leg flat on the floor. Exhale and gently shift your bent leg over the extended one. You can add to this pose by turning your head and gaze in the opposite direction, or by reaching up to the ceiling with the opposite hand of the knee that’s bent and raising your gaze in the same direction.

How It Helps:

Supine twists in yoga are great for relieving menstrual cramps and lower abdominal pain. The seated twist helps the muscles in your pelvic region contract and relax. It increases circulation which helps relieve cramps on its own. It also stimulates healthy tissue growth in the pelvic region, which is key for keeping your reproductive organs healthy and happy.

4. Sun Salutation Yoga Flow

How To Do It:

The Sun Salutation yoga flow is actually a series of 12 gentle poses intended to stretch, center, and relax your body and your mind. The poses go as follows.

1. Prayer Pose: standing with back straight, keep hands and feet together, gaze forward
2. Upward Salute: lift your arms overhead, arch your back, and lift your gaze to the ceiling 
3. Standing Forward Bent: exhale and bring hands down as you bend at the waist
4. Low Lunge: lift your head, ground your hands, and place one foot behind you in lunge
5. Plank: keep both hands flat, place the other foot behind you, keeping your back straight 
6. Knees-Chest-Chin: drop knees to the floor, then chest and chin with elbows against you
7. Cobra: lower your pelvis to the ground, keep hands flat and lift shoulders and chest
8. Downward Facing Dog: tuck in toes, lift your hips, keep hands flat and raise your body
9. Low Lunge: return to low lunge with the opposite leg bent as earlier
10. Standing Forward Bend: step your extended leg forward and return to standing bend
11. Upward Salute: hands together, raise your arms and your gaze to the ceiling 
12. Prayer Pose: exhale, lower your arms, keep your hands together in front of your chest

How It Helps:

The Sun Salutation yoga flow is said to increase energy and stamina, which can sometimes be lacking during menstruation or your PMS week. It stretches and strengthens muscles that can become tight and sore, and can bring a lot of physical relief to your body when it comes to period symptoms. 

Some people who menstruate have found that incorporating yoga into their routine has helped with irregular periods and stomach cramps, improved sleep and menstrual mood swings, and helped them experience fewer symptoms like stomach cramps or leg cramps at night. There are undeniable overall benefits of yoga for physical health, mental health, and overall wellness — and all that can apply to betterting your menstrual cycle as well!