Yoga for irregular menstrual cycles

You will seldom find a woman who is comfortable or at ease with her menstruation cycle. However, not having a regular cycle is something that no woman wants. A lot of women experience irregular periods. There are many causes of such a problem. Usually, irregular periods are associated with hormonal imbalances and stress. Women who have increased sexual activity after a long break may also experience temporarily irregular menstrual cycles. In most women, who are nearing the onset of menopause, menstruation problems are a common occurrence.

For each woman, the cause of menstruation cycle problems is different. In fact, it is critical to determine the exact cause of the irregularity because the choice of yoga poses for treating the irregularities will also depend largely on the cause.

If the irregular menstrual cycle causes are hormonal, specific yoga poses are practiced in order to improve the circulation of hormones. Sometimes, stress may be a contributing factor to menstrual problems. Yoga for menstrual problems caused due to stress will include more of breathing and other stress relieving techniques like meditation.

Yoga Practice during Menstruation

Most problems with menstruation can be dealt with proper and guided yoga poses. However, it is equally important to get a medical perspective and take regular medications as prescribed by a doctor.

There are two categories of yoga poses for irregular periods. One category contains poses that are generally beneficial in enhancing the menstrual flow by stretching the pelvic floor and opening up the vagina. The second category is of those poses which are meant for menstrual problems caused by specific reasons.

Some of the general yoga poses which can be practiced to help treat menstrual problems are the Baddha Konasana or the Sitting Cobbler Pose, Supta Baddhakonasana or the Lying Down Cobbler Pose, the Gaumukhasana or the Cow Pose, Supta Virasana or the Lying Down Hero Pose and the Janu Shirasana or the Head To Knee Pose. Of these, the Cow Pose is especially recommended for those who are suffering from irregular menstruation.

In addition to these the Virasana or the Hero Pose, the Lion, Cobra and Half Wheel Pose can also be performed for disorders of the endocrine system that may be causing an irregularity in the menstruation cycle.

All of these poses help in improving muscle strength, regulating hormones, improving spinal flexibility, and restore alignment and balance in the body. These poses, when performed three to five times a day regularly, can help regulate your menstruation.

Yoga for Menstruation | Irregular Menstruation

Irregular Menstruation Cycle

Menstruation is an important part of every woman’s life cycle. A woman begins to go through a series of hormonal changes during the menstruation cycle that occurs once every month. Unfortunately almost every woman is likely to experience a menstruation problem by way of anxiety, stress and several mood swings at some point of time.

Yoga for Menstruation

Yoga is often referred to as one of the healthiest and natural ways of treating menstrual problems. By practicing different forms of yoga on a regular basis, one can ensure pain relief and direct the body and mind towards a healthy being.

A regular practice of Hatha Yoga which is a blend of yoga poses, meditation, and deep breathing, paves the way towards a healthy, pain free life. It is often recommended for women to perform yoga during their menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause as it helps ease the discomfort during such phases. Even the PMS phase can be reduced with the help of yoga.

There are various exercises in yoga for menstrual pains ranging from delayed menstruation, to an irregular menstruation cycle. Poses like Dhanurasana or the bow pose, Virasana or the hero's pose, Janu Shirsana or head to knee pose, Baddha konasana or cobbler's pose, Pachimottansana or back to spine stretching pose, and Matysyasana or fish pose are basically aimed at increasing the flexibility of the spine, help tone abdominal muscles, reduce the stress levels, and restore the hormonal balance by regulation of the endocrine system. Some of the poses aid in re-energizing the energy centers in the body and helps balance body functions. One can perform some of these poses atleast 3 to 5 times a day and try and hold the body in the stretched position for at least 30 seconds.

What will help regulating the menstrual cycles in a better way would be the incorporation of a few breathing exercises along with these poses. For instance, Pranayama can prove to be very beneficial in regulating the menstrual cycles. Anulom Vilom or deep breathing through the nostrils in alternate rounds is very helpful in reducing the stress levels and cools the body off. Kapalbhati or forceful breathing by pressurizing the stomach can significantly work towards regulating ailments like thyroid, obesity and other digestive problems which prove to the factors contributing to the cause of irregular periods.

Along with yoga for menstruation, breathing exercises, a healthy diet at regularized times, reduction in the intake of meat and caffeine, especially red meat, can help tackle menstruation problems.