Lybrate Logo
Get the App
For Doctors
Login/Sign-up
Book Appointment
Treatment
Ask a Question
Plan my Surgery
Health Feed
tab_logos
About
tab_logos
Health Feed
tab_logos
Find Doctors

Yoga For Period Pain And It's Health Benefits

Last Updated: Jan 20, 2025

Benefits of yoga for period pain

Menstrual cycles can be very demanding and painful for any woman. The period pain in women involves pelvic, abdomen, and lower back region of the body. Majority of the women pop painkillers to get relief from the severe period pain. But popping these pain killers has side effects associated with it. Yoga has proven to be helpful in alleviating several health issues that may plague the life of an individual. It may be hard to believe but yoga can also treat the problem of severe period pain.

There are several poses in yoga that help in alleviating the period pain. Yoga stretches the complete lower region of the body which results in improving the function of abdominal organs which further results in providing relief in menstrual discomfort. There are asanas in yoga that improves the strength of the muscles in the belly thereby alleviating the pain. Yoga also improves the blood circulation in the pelvic region thereby providing relief in the period pain. The tension in the muscles around the pelvic region is also relieved through yoga. Yoga is the only alternative for a side effect free alleviation of period pain. Given below are some of the asanas that help in alleviating period pain.

Yoga asanas for period pain

Topic Image

Child’s Pose

Fold your legs and sit on your knees. Ensure that your bums are resting on the heels. Now slowly bend forward and place your head on the floor. Keep your hands flat on your side while lying on this pose. Ensure that you maintain proper breathing during the entire process. This pose can help deal with the pain in the lower back due to menstrual cramps.
Topic Image

Forward Fold

Stand straight and raise your hands over the head. Now fold both your hands and rest them on your head. Keeping the hands there, bend your upper body in such a way that your knees remain straight. Go down as much as possible and hold the pose. Keep breathing normally during the yoga. This posture will help you relieve the pain that radiates from the hips down to the legs.
Topic Image

Knees-To-Chest Pose

Lie straight on your back and and slowly raise your legs and bring the knees close to your chest. Grab hold of the knees with both hands and hold this pose for a couple of minutes. This pose aids in enhancing the abdominal function and reduces pain associated with period pain. To add an extra layer to the posture, start to rock from side to side.
Topic Image

Corpse Pose

Perhaps the easiest and most important pose in yoga, the corpse pose involves lying on your back with your legs straight. Place your arms on the ground and close your eyes. In this posture, try to relax every muscle in the body and let yourself feel heavy. Hold the pose for at least 20 minutes. When you want to leave the pose, slowly bring the movement and consciousness back to the body. Practising this posture will help your mind get distracted from the period pain.

Conclusion

Besides yoga, consuming healthy diet also plays its part in alleviating the period pain. There are certain foods that must be excluded from the diet as they can lead to bloating and retention of water. Food products that belong to the category of fatty foods must be eliminated from the diet completely. Carbonated beverages should be excluded. Instead of carbonated beverages ginger or mint tea can be added to the diet as they have a soothing effect on the periods pain. Foods that are high in salt content must be avoided.

Fruits rich in vitamin like papaya must be added to the diet. Regular rice should be replaced with brown rice since it is rich in vitamin b-6 which reduces bloating which is one of the reasons for severe period pain. Food to be consumed must be cooked in olive oil. Leafy greeny vegetables must be added to the diet. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids must be incorporated as they have anti-inflammatory properties. Combining yoga with a healthy diet can helps a woman alleviate period pain naturally without any side effect.

References

Popular Questions & Answers

View All

I always have pain during my periods. I can eve...

related_content_doctor

Dr. Karuna Chawla

Homeopath

Place a heating pad or hot water bottle on your lower back or abdomen. Rest when needed. Give you...

During periods I am suffering a lot because of ...

related_content_doctor

Dr. Rashmi Shukla

Homeopath

If you are suffering from dysmenorrhoea as menstrual disorder is caused due to stress, anxiety, d...

My wife have some problems during her periods s...

related_content_doctor

Dr. Karuna Chawla

Homeopathy Doctor

Place a heating pad or hot water bottle on your lower back or abdomen. Rest when needed. Give you...

Hello doctors Is it good or harmful to do yoga ...

related_content_doctor

Dr. Pradnya Mulay

Homeopath

Dear lybrate user, as long as u dont ve any problems with d exercise u can continue but it should...

How to get rid of the pain in periods The uteru...

related_content_doctor

Dr. Sonali Khomane

Homeopath

Some pain, cramping, and discomfort during menstrual periods is normal. The medical term for pain...

    Delhi
    Mumbai
    Chennai
    Bangalore
    Index

    Table of content

    Content Details
    Profile Image
    Written ByDr. Praveen ChaudharyMBBS,PGD IN ULTRAASONOGRAPHY,Non invasive cardiology course,MD - MedicineInternal Medicine
    Reviewed By
    Profile Image
    Reviewed ByDr. Bhupindera Jaswant SinghMD - Consultant PhysicianGeneral Physician
    chat_icon

    Ask a free question

    Get FREE multiple opinions from Doctors

    posted anonymously