What Happens When Women Practice These 7 Yoga Poses During Their Menstrual Cycle?

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If you've ever curled up in bed with a hot water bottle during your period, wishing the cramps away, you're not alone. For generations, women have searched for natural ways to ease menstrual discomfort, reduce hormonal chaos, and feel more in tune with their bodies. What if relief didn't just come from painkillers or heating pads, but from your yoga mat?

Like every year, this year too International Yoga Day will be observed on 21 June. Well, yoga is not just about stretching or strength-it can deeply influence hormonal balance, nervous system regulation, and even reproductive wellness.

Photo Credit: Freepik

Practising certain poses during your menstrual cycle can be a powerful way to support your body, calm your mind, and ease common period symptoms like cramps, mood swings, bloating, and fatigue. But what really happens when women practice yoga during their cycle? The answer goes beyond flexibility.

It Helps Release Pelvic Tension

Many women don't realize how much tension the body stores in the lower abdomen, hips, and pelvis. During menstruation, these areas are already sensitive. Gentle yoga poses like Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle) or Child's Pose allows the pelvic muscles to soften, encouraging better blood flow and energetic release.

With regular practice, women often notice fewer cramps and a more "open" feeling in their lower body. It's not just physical; the emotional shift is noticeable too. Releasing tension in the hips can lead to emotional clarity, helping process PMS irritability or unexpected mood drops.

It Regulates Hormones By Soothing Nervous System

Periods are often chaotic because the nervous system is overwhelmed. From cortisol spikes due to stress to sudden drops in estrogen, your body is going through a lot. Yoga, particularly restorative and breath-focused poses, signals the parasympathetic nervous system-your rest-and-digest mode-to take over.

Practices like Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall) calm the adrenal glands and stabilize blood pressure, helping to balance the hormones that go haywire during menstruation. Over time, women report more regular cycles and fewer intense PMS symptoms.

Photo Credit: Freepik

It Eases Bloating And Supports Digestion

That uncomfortable, swollen belly feeling? Yoga can help with that too. Twisting poses and gentle abdominal compression-think Supine Twist or Knees-to-Chest Pose-stimulate the digestive organs and help move things along. While these poses must be done with sensitivity during the heavier days, they offer a sense of lightness, both physically and mentally.

Women often underestimate how connected the gut is to hormonal health. Yoga brings awareness to this link, allowing the digestive system to function more smoothly even during hormonal surges.

It Helps You Connect With Your Body Instead of Fighting It

Modern life teaches women to push through pain, ignore exhaustion, and carry on during their periods as if nothing is happening. Yoga offers an entirely different approach-it encourages listening, slowing down, and honoring the body's rhythm.

When women practice menstrual-friendly yoga, they often report feeling more empowered, more aware of their energy cycles, and less likely to view their period as a burden. This mental and emotional shift can be one of the most profound benefits.

It Enhances Fertility And Reproductive Function Over Time

While yoga is not a fertility treatment, certain poses that improve circulation to the pelvic region and reduce stress may help create a more supportive environment for reproductive health. Poses like Cobra and Butterfly Pose stretch the abdominal region, increase blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, and reduce tension in the reproductive organs.

Women with PCOS, irregular cycles, or hormonal imbalances often find that regular yoga brings more consistency and ease to their cycles. It doesn't happen overnight, but the cumulative effect of body awareness and stress reduction plays a major role in reproductive balance.

It Improves Sleep And Lowers Period Anxiety

Sleepless nights and heightened anxiety are common in the days leading up to menstruation. Practicing yoga in the evening-especially forward folds and supported poses-helps slow down racing thoughts, lower cortisol levels, and promote deeper, more restful sleep.

When your body feels held and safe, your mind follows. That's why even just 10-15 minutes of yoga during your period can lead to significant shifts in mood and mental clarity.

It Builds A Consistent Ritual Of Self-Care

Perhaps the most lasting benefit is how yoga becomes a ritual-a few quiet moments to check in, stretch out, and give your body the love it deserves. In a world that demands constant productivity, taking time to do something gentle, nourishing, and intuitive during your cycle can be revolutionary.

Women who stick to a cycle-conscious yoga practice often find that they not only feel better physically, but also develop a more compassionate, trusting relationship with their own bodies.

Whether you're trying to ease painful cramps, balance your hormones, or just feel more connected to your femininity, menstrual yoga might be the grounding ritual you didn't know you needed.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.