Do PMS and period pain find you on a monthly retreat to your bed? If so, you might consider incorporating yoga into your routine. The ancient practice offers a variety of health benefits, one of them being relief from symptoms of PMS and menstrual cramps. It’s not just yoga poses that can help—yogis also benefit from breathing exercises, calming meditation, and a healthy diet. Focusing on each of these areas is easier than you think and can make a big difference in your monthly cycle.

Poses for Relief
Moving may be the last thing you feel like doing when on your period, but it can help. A gentle yoga class is perfect for relaxing and relieving pain and does not involve strenuous movement. Here are a few beneficial poses you can do in class or at home.

• Downward Facing Dog
This pose can help with PMS symptoms such as mood swings, fatigue, anxiety, and irritability. To make the pose a bit less strenuous, try using a block or bolster to rest your head on.

• Wide-Legged Forward Bend
This forward folding posture can help to ease abdominal cramping. Place your head on a block or bolster to keep neck muscles relaxed.

• Standing Forward Bend
Grab hold of either elbow, hang, and relax to relieve back pain. The folding will help ease cramping and increase blood flow to the brain.

• Cat
This pose will gently work your center and stretch your spine to help with cramps and back pain. Try moving your whole body in a slow circular motion close to the floor to enhance the stretch.

Yoga experts suggest avoiding inversions such as headstands and shoulder stands while on your period because they reverse the blood flow and can intensify cramps.

Breathing and Meditation
High stress levels can intensify cramps and leave you feeling drained. A simple way to calm the mind and body is through meditation. Find a quiet spot and get into a comfortable seated position. Close your eyes, clear your mind, and focus on your breath, which should be slow and smooth, with deep inhales and long exhales. You can also try a more intense breathing exercise to cleanse your body of any negative or latent energy. Breath of Fire, for example, consists of short, rapid, strong breaths drawn from the abdomen. This short exercise can calm cramping in your stomach and clear out your system.

Eat Like a Yogi
What you put into your body affects how you feel both on and off your period. Serious yogis stick to pure, wholesome food. Try to eat fresh organic fruits and vegetables, as well as beans, nuts, whole grains, and organic dairy. Keeping your body hydrated is also very important, so be sure to drink lots of water. To keep PMS and cramps at bay, avoid caffeine, sugar, and alcohol while you are on your cycle as well as during the week leading up to it. Many yogis are vegetarians, but if you are a meat-loving gal, stick to lean meats and eat it in moderation.

Yoga is a lifestyle, but don’t feel as though you have to change everything at once. Take your time and explore each area. Make a new change each week and see what works best for you.

~ Laci Chiodo