Yoga poses for period cramps
If one more person tells you to "just do yoga" for cramps without saying which poses, you have permission to scream. Here are the specific ones that help and why.
Why yoga works for cramps
Period cramps happen when your uterus contracts to shed its lining. Prostaglandins drive these contractions. More prostaglandins = worse cramps.
Yoga works in two ways: gentle stretching increases blood flow to the pelvis (which reduces prostaglandin concentration), and the deep breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system (which reduces the pain signal). It's not woo. It's physiology.
The 6 poses that work
Child's pose (Balasana): Knees wide, arms forward, forehead on mat. Hold 2-3 minutes. Gently compresses the abdomen and stretches the lower back.
Reclined butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana): On your back, soles of feet together, knees open. Hold 3-5 minutes. Opens the inner hips and groin where cramp pain radiates.
Cat-cow: On all fours, alternate between arching and rounding your spine. 10-15 cycles. Mobilizes the pelvis and increases spinal circulation.
Supine twist: On your back, knees to one side, arms out. Hold 2 minutes each side. Decompresses the lower back and gently massages the abdominal organs.
Pigeon pose: One leg forward bent, back leg extended. Hold 2 minutes each side. Releases the hip flexors and deep hip rotators where tension builds during menstruation.
Legs up the wall (Viparita Karani): Scoot your butt to the wall, legs straight up. Hold 5-10 minutes. Reverses blood pooling in the pelvis and calms the nervous system.
How long and when
20-30 minutes is enough. Do it on days 1-2 when cramps are worst.
Morning works well because cramps often peak after lying still all night. Even 10 minutes of cat-cow and child's pose before anything else can change your day.
A 2017 study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that women who did 30 minutes of yoga during menstruation had 50% less cramp pain than the control group after three cycles.
What to skip
Strong core work (boat pose, planks held for ages). Your abs are already dealing with uterine contractions. Adding more abdominal tension can increase cramping.
Deep backbends (wheel pose, camel). These stretch the front body aggressively, which can feel terrible when you're cramping.
Hot yoga. Your body temperature regulation is off during menstruation. Adding external heat can cause dizziness and make cramps worse.
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