Tackle Your Menstrual Cramps With These 5 Yoga Poses!

Last week we gave you 5 Natural Ways to Relieve Your PMS & Cramps. Today we have another installment: 5 Yoga Poses to Help Ease Your Cramps! Yoga is great for almost all bodies and an excellent way to naturally relieve your PMS & cramps. Read on to learn our top 5 favorite poses for cramp relief.

Before you practice any of these poses, make sure you check in with yourself. If anything feels uncomfortable, causes you discomfort or pain, back out of the pose. Most importantly, remember to breathe during these poses – an easy steady breathe can help calm your mind, relax your body, and ease your menstrual cramps.

 Child’s Pose or Frog Pose
 A great resting place, Child’s Pose  is often a staple pose in yoga  classes. This pose is not only a  great resting place during a difficult  Hatha Yoga session, it’s also a great way to gently open your hips and relax your back. To enter into this pose, transition into a table top (hands and knees, with wrists under shoulders and knees hip width apart). Sink down until your arms are outstretched and your butt is on your heels. Bring your big toes together, if that feels comfortable, and melt into the shape. For an even deeper stretch, widen your knees and separate your feet, sinking down into Frog Pose.

Twist Reclined (Shiva Twist) or Standing
This pose feels ah-ma-zing on the lower back – and we all know how sore that can be during PMS. This pose is a great stretch, twisting our legs across our body – it is not recommended for anyone who may have back injuries or pain. For this pose you will begin reclined on your back (although you can also take this pose standing if you’d prefer – as pictured). Pull your right leg into your chest, and then bring your knee across your body, dropping down to the left. Keep your upper body reclined as best as possible to enjoy the benefits of this stretch. You can extend your right arm out or bend into a goal post. Repeat on the left side when ready.

Bound Angle or Reclined Bound Angle
Another great pose for hip opening is the Bound Angle pose (a.k.a. Butterfly Pose). There were many days in gym class where we’d stretch in this pose, and as an adult we still get to enjoy the benefits. For this pose, begin seated, bringing your feet together until the soles of your feet kiss. For a deeper stretch, you can either fold forward over your feet or try bringing your heels closer to your body. If you would like to be gentler on your back, you can also take this pose reclined.

 Legs Up The Wall
 One of the easiest and gentlest  inversions, legs up the wall offers  you all the advantages of an  inversion without balancing on your  head. Great for lower back discomfort, Legs Up The Wall is one of our favorite poses! To practice this pose, scoot your butt close to the floor board of a wall and extend your legs overhead. Prop your legs on the wall in any variation that feels good for your body: straight, lotus, butterfly (bound angle – above), etc.

Pigeon Pose or Reclined Pigeon Pose
Pigeon pose is a wonderful hip opener and soft fold. In this pose you can either fold forward for a deeper stretch or lift upward for a gentle backbend. To enter into this pose, lift up into a Downward Facing Dog Pose. From here, sweep your right leg forward behind your wrists, and lay it flat, parallel to the short end of your yoga mat. Drop your back knee, and then gently sink into the pose. If this is too deep of a stretch, you can instead lay on your back in a Reclined Pigeon Pose.
Repeat on the left side when ready.

Other poses to try include Reclining Hand to Toe, Downward Facing Dog, Upward Facing Dog, Bow Pose, and Camel Pose.

What is your favorite yoga pose? Sound off in the comments below or join the discussion on Facebook!

Don’t forget the best compliment to your yoga mat when on your period is your SckoonCup! Super flexible, soft, and comfortable – Your period should be a breeze, and with SckoonCup, an internally worn menstrual cup, it will be. Discover a clean, effective alternative to tampons or disposable pads. Made from FDA approved soft medical-grade silicone, it’s safe, reusable, environmentally friendly, and pretty, too!