Periods can be a painful process for many women. Extreme pain during periods is called dysmenorrhea and is often accompanied by menstrual discomfort, pain, cramps, and other changes at the same time. Period pain is difficult to endure and can interfere with day-to-day activities.
Why do menstrual cramps occur?
When women are having their period, they feel discomfort in the abdomen, lower back, and thigh region. It is because the muscles of the womb contract and relax to shed the endometrium (uterus lining). Some women feel little to no cramps, and others have painful experiences.
Other factors that contribute to the intense pain during the monthly cycle include:
• A heavy menstrual flow
• Overproduction or sensitivity to prostaglandins, lipid compounds that cause contraction of the uterus. Use of birth control pills
• Endometriosis, a disorder in which the tissue that is found inside the lining of the uterus/womb is present outside.
• Growth in the uterus
Women have so many tips, hacks or home remedies up their sleeves to ease menstrual cramps. Yoga practices have been a part of our lives since ancient times and aid in various ways to improve overall well-being.
Let’s check some of the yoga poses that work as an effective pain-relief strategy and help ease menstrual cramps:
Child’s Pose
This pose is one of the relaxing poses to relieve menstrual pain and the easiest of all poses. The child’s pose is helpful as it targets the back.
How to perform:
Just sit on your knees and ensure the body is resting on top of the thighs. The arms in this pose are stretched outwards in the front. This pose will open up your hips and lower back and reduce the lower back pain. You can hold up to three to four breaths or till you feel right.
Knees-To-Chest Pose
This pose is helpful to relieve menstrual cramps. While holding this pose, it relaxes the muscle in the lower back and abdomen region.
How to perform:
Simply lie on your back and try to bring your knees together towards the abdomen region. The benefit of this pose is that it will help in increasing blood flow in the abdominal region. The improved blood flow will assist the body to stay calm and relaxed.
Camel Pose
It might be quite difficult to hold this pose during periods. However, this pose is helpful to ease menstrual cramps.
How to perform:
Sit on your knees, keeping the back straight. Stretch your back a little and hold your heels. For maintaining a balance, you can take a chair for its support.
The pose will help stretch the abdominal region. The pull experienced in the stomach will help the uterine muscles to end the contractions. This end of the contractions helps to lessen the menstrual cramps.
Corpse Pose
Known as the Shavasana pose, it tends to aid in relaxation. Performing this pose will relax the mind and the body. It balances the breathing, allowing distraction from menstruation discomfort.
How to perform:
Just lie down comfortably on the back. Make sure you are not causing any twists or turns to the body.
Supine Twist Pose
This pose will strengthen your back and ease menstrual cramps.
How to do:
Lie on your back and extend your legs. Now, as you inhale, try to bring one knee close to the chest and then stretch it towards your shoulders. As you exhale, make sure to fold the knee across the body towards the opposite side while the other leg is still in an extended posture. Ensure that the back is still against the ground and only the hips are rotating. Thereafter, turn your head in the opposite direction that is away from the pointed knee. Repeat with the other leg similarly.
