Yoga comes to my rescue every month when I suffer from severe period pain, caused by endometriosis. Certain poses bring relief to both my mental and physical health — specifically targeting abdominal pain.
When it comes to my mental health, taking five minutes to cycle through yoga poses helps me acknowledge and be present with the sensations taking place in my body. It’s empowering to take care of myself and make time for the most important thing: my wellbeing.
My physical health also benefits from these poses tremendously as they reduce the severity of the pain on the most challenging days of my cycle.
Before you start the poses, get as comfortable as possible — put on your period leggings or a pair of joggers with a stretchy waistband.
Legs Up the Wall
This pose can help alleviate period pain by improving blood flow to your pelvic region and reducing inflammation in the body. To get into the pose, lower your back onto the floor and place your legs on the wall, with the back of your thighs and bum touching the wall.
When placing your legs on the wall, use your hands to support your lower back and hips until you’re comfortable in the position. You can also grab a pillow and place it under your head as you ease into this restorative yoga pose — or opt for a hot compress on your abdomen or lower back.
Supine Spinal Twist
This twist provides a gentle stretch of the spine, which you can make shallower or deeper, depending on how it feels. (As always, our rule of thumb is to do what feels good for your body).
To get into the pose, lie on your back, with arms extended out to the sides, in a T-shape. Bend your right knee and bring it towards your chest, then lower the knee across your body towards the left side. As you do so, keep your shoulders and left hip grounded for a delightful sprawl.
Turn your head to the right as you lean into the stretch. Stay in the pose as long as it feels good, then repeat on the other side.
Child’s Pose
Child’s pose is my go-to when experiencing period pain. To get started, I sit down on my heels and allow my chest to sink toward my thighs. On days when I don’t feel very stretchy, I put a pillow on my lap to make the bend gentler.
Swapping out the pillow for a hot water bottle can also be super soothing. The cocoon-like posture and the heat create a deep relaxing feeling.
Reclined Butterfly
What I love most about this position is its ability to create a restful opening in your pelvic area, which can help provide a bit of reprieve from period pain. Start by lying down on your back, bring the soles of your feet together, and let your knees fall out to the sides in a butterfly-like shape, creating a diamond silhouette with your legs.
Once you’ve settled into the pose, you can place your hands or a hot water bottle on your abdomen. Sink into the gentle inner-thigh stretch and, as I often do, you can repeat kind and loving affirmations to yourself about your body.
If you’re in the early stages of cultivating a restorative yoga practice, test out these positions to see which ones feel most comfortable and conducive to reducing period pain.
Incorporating breathwork into your practice may also further its benefits; breathe slowly, through your nose, filling your chest with air before slowly exhaling through your mouth.
Yoga has become a part of my period ritual and made a world of difference. Hopefully, it helps you find some much-deserved relief, too.
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We hope you found this post informative — but remember: we’re not doctors and this post is not medical advice! While all posts are fact-checked and well researched, we always recommend you chat with your doctor about any questions or concerns you might have regarding a medical condition. We’re here to support and educate, but never with the aim of disregarding professional medical advice you’ve been given. Phew, now that that’s out of the way, you can go on living unapologetically free.