When we get painful period cramps once a month, exercise is the last thing on our minds. That’s only natural. We gulp down painkillers and curl up at the sofa until the pain goes away. However, simply lying down when you are in excruciating pain sometimes makes it worse.
So instead of wriggling in pain on the sofa, why not try one of the following simple yoga poses which, according to yoga experts, can significantly reduce menstrual pain. They won’t just make us feel a million times better, but also feel in control of our bodies.
Just don’t forget to inhale and exhale calmly and deeply!
Wide Child’s Pose
A staple resting pose, the child’s pose is nowadays the go-to position after various intense fitness classes. It gives our lower back the stretch it craves, while it has a calming effect on our minds. A wide-knee child’s pose is perfect to relieve period cramps on our lower backs.
Knees-to-chest
When we have abdominal pain, we spontaneously draw up the knees to the chest for relief, right? Doing the same thing while lying on the floor maximizes the stretch's benefits, especially when we rock our body gently from side to side.
Cat or Cow Pose
By sitting on all fours the cat pose allows us to stretch our entire backs. That’s a lot of muscles! Stretching and rounding our backs will stimulate our inner organs, relieve tension on shoulders and back, and increase blood flow.
Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose
Lying on the floor with your legs stretched against the wall may not sound like proper yoga, but it is a great way to increase blood flow and break up stagnation of the lower body.
The Reclining Twist or Supine Twist
This is another great pose to tackle lower back pain, but also to massage, refresh and ‘detox’ the inner organs. Crossing one leg over the other while lying on the floor and stretching your upper body towards the opposite direction, will distract the body from pain and ease the nerves.
Standing Forward Fold
Standing up and folding forward has known benefits not only for low back pain but the nervous system in general. In Yoga, it is known to open the hips and wipe out stress and sad thoughts caused by PMS.
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