Yoga & Your Cycle

29 Aug Yoga & Your Cycle

Lady to ladies, that time of the month is never fun… Some of us feel ratty, depressed, angry, hungry, HANGRY!!! (especially for all things we know are not healthy) and guilty!!! To top it all off we have may heard that we shouldn’t practice Yoga – the one thing that keeps us sane when we feel all of the above!

We must remember that these feelings are all normal, and perhaps this our body’s way of telling us we need to chill out, celebrate our femininity, rest and rejuvenate so we can continue with the rest of our month refreshed and energetic. In listening to what our bodies require of us we turn around our perception of what we may dread every month into a time of bringing our power back into balance!

Should we practice yoga? There are those who say that women should not practice yoga during her menstruation, others say practice everything. My personal feeling is none of us ladies are the same, so there can be no set rules regarding what to practice when aunt flow comes to visit, however, here are some general guidelines that can help. What is important is that we listen to our bodies, giving ourselves the perfect opportunity to vary ones yoga practice to nurture body, mind and look with in.

ASANAS (POSES) TO PRACTICE

A light yoga practice can help alleviate cramps, back pain, and balance emotions.

Gentle forward bends and open twist positions give a soft massage to the abdominal and pelvic region, helping to relieve congestion, heaviness, cramping and heavy bleeding. They also bring calmness to the mind. Remember to not strain or do strong forward bends. Gentle backbends, especially when supported, can alleviate back pain and pelvic discomfort.

Leg up the wall poses help to remove stagnant blood from the legs without lifting the pelvic region, this also brings comfort to body and mind, alleviating anxiety and mild depression.

ASANAS (POSES) TO AVOID

In a yoga practice it is advisable to avoid inversions (poses where your hips are higher than your heart).  A reason is that practicing inversions during your period, gravity works against your body and pulls the blood back into the uterus, which some say can actually increase the amount of bleeding. Previously people used to think that inversions could cause endometriosis and infections but it there has been no scientific evidence of this.

Secondly, it is advisable to avoid closed twists, arm balances and standing positions that put a lot of stress on the abdominal and pelvic region this added pressure will not help in alleviating pain but may cause more discomfort. Also these positions need more physical strength which can be lacking during this time.

Consider how you are feeling, as it is recommended that strong vinyasa and power yoga should be avoided for the same reasons. Surya namaskar (Sun Salutations), when done slowly and gently, can be useful, however it should be avoided if there is a lot of pain or heavy bleeding.

Thirdly, bandhas (energy locks) should not be practiced as they move energy upwards instead of down and physically they add more contraction to an already tight region of the body.

PRANAYAMA (BREATH CONTROL)

Pranayama is very useful during menstruation as it helps bring clean air/oxygen through the body on our inhales and detoxes body and mind on the exhales. It can also help one to deal with any pain. Deep breathing is very beneficial, remembering not to strain the breath.

Avoid fast breathing, Bhastrika (Bellow’s Breath/Breath of fire), Surya Bedan (Right Nostril Breathing) and Kapalbhati (Frontal Brain Cleansing) as they will increase the heat which may cause heavier bleeding and will also put excessive pressure on the abdominal region.

MEDITATION

Adding meditation to your practice, at this time particularly, as one is more sensitive and aware, is strongly recommended, especially the relaxing practice of Yoga nidra.

On a closing note, some ladies associate uncleanliness or other negative emotions with their period. These may have come up due to their culture,  or perhaps some other life events. I can suggest to find a friend, teacher, mother, sister anyone who you feel comfortable asking the uncomfortable questions and you may find the answers empowering. Have open discussions with your partner giving them an understanding of what you may be feeling, allowing them to become more supportive and attentive to your needs. And remember when we look within ourselves, we find our strength, power, wisdom – the meaning of what it means to be a Goddess, awakening our inner Shakti (the female principle of divine energy) and being the beautiful Purusha (one’s true self, regarded as eternal and unaffected by external happenings; soul) that we are – turning the feelings of ratty, depressed, angry, hungry and hangry into happy, healthy, energetic and enthusiastic about life no matter what time of the month.

Big thank you to Laura Blatch, yoga teacher and friend for all your inspiration and feedback!