Menstrual cramps can be really uncomfortable for women as it can cause difficulties in their daily activities by restricting their body movements. Other than taking medicine, yoga can help to relieve menstrual cramps naturally. Below is a list of yoga poses that can relieve menstrual cramps easily.
Pigeon Pose/ Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
This pose is effective for opening the hips joints and muscles to reduce the menstrual cramps. It provides many other advantages like digestion improvement, stress relief, back strengthening, and flexibility improvements.
1. Sit down on the floor on your knees.
2. Bring your right leg near your pelvis by bending it towards the left leg.
3. Extend your left leg in the backward direction forming a straight line with it on the floor.
4. Lift your face and stay in this pose for 15-20 seconds.
5. Repeat these steps by switching the legs.
Child’s Pose/ Balasana
This pose helps in massaging the internal organs, improving blood circulation, and boosting digestion. It can strengthen the muscles in the back, abdomen, arms, legs, and shoulders.
1. Sit straightly and slowly shift your knees apart while keeping your toes joined.
2. Bring your torso down between your thighs while exhaling.
3. Bend forward while stretching your arms in the front as much as possible.
4. Put your head on the floor, while your hips are resting on your heels.
5. Hold this position for 15-20 seconds.
Knees To Chest Pose/ Apanasana
Other than relieving menstrual pain, it can also stretch the lower back area and massage the internal organs in the abdomen area. Moreover, this pose can enhance your blood circulation, prevent acidity, and boost energy levels.
1. Lie down on the floor and pull your knees upwards towards your chest.
2. Keep your back straight and try to touch your tailbone on the floor.
3. Hold your knees with both your arms for support.
4. Lift your head towards your chest and hold this position for 15-30 seconds.
Supine Spinal Twist Pose/ Supta Matsyendrasana
This yoga pose is ideal for relieving menstrual pain and calming down the nerves. Also, it helps in stretching the back muscles, spine, and legs. Moreover, doing this pose will massage your abdominal organs, hips, and complete back.
1. Lie down straight with your back and palms on the floor.
2. Lift your right leg and rest it on your left leg.
3. Keep your right foot on the left knee. Keep your both shoulders firmly on the floor, while twisting your lower body.
4. Hold your breath in this position for 10-15 seconds.
5. Back to the original position and change legs.
Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend/ Upavistha Konasana
This pose offers a wide range of health benefits to women suffering from menstrual cramps. This pose improves the stimulation of abdominal organs to reduce the menstrual cramping pain. Apart from this, it helps in relaxation of mind, stretching of hamstring muscles, and strengthening of back & abdominal muscles.
1. Sit down on the floor & keep your legs straight in front of you.
2. Slowly shift your legs apart from each other.
3. Make sure to provide support to your upper body with your hands on the floor, between both knees.
4. Keep your back straight and try to bend down in the forward direction.
5. You can use pillows to support your torso.
6. Hold this position for 15-20 seconds.
1. Get down on your knees and keep the rest of your body completely straight.
2. Keep both your knees and feet joined.
3. Bend in the backward direction, while pushing your hips forward.
4. Now bend your head and spine in the backward direction, as much as you can.
5. You can also touch both your feet with your hands to get support.
6. Hold this position for 15-20 seconds.
Legs Up The Wall/ Viparita Karani
This pose is really good for reducing the menstrual cramping pain during periods. It helps in relieving lower back pain, improves blood circulation, relaxes the pelvic area, and calms down the nerves. Moreover, this pose helps in stretching lower back muscles and hamstring muscles, while healing the cramps.
1. Sit down on the floor with your right side of the body touching the wall.
2. While slowly turning to your right side, lift both feet and place them against the wall.
3. Lie down on the floor with a straight back and push your lower body forward until your hips touch the wall.
4. Lift both your feet up straight and keep them joined.
5. Hold this position for a few minutes, and then slowly push yourself away from the wall.
6. You can also use a pillow to support your hips while doing this pose.
