BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Yoga Yoga and your Period

hahaha I dont know but I want to go visit and see if it helps my cramps! I am in Texas.

I think the the abs and back would help but cramps are more in the uterus and ovories so.... I dont know how much it would help.

I think I'm pretty lucky - I normally don't have cramps. But I would think that yoga would help because a lot of it is about relaxing and gentle stretching.

And also the deep breathing which helps to get oxygen to all the muscles. Cramping is sometimes an indication of lack of oxygen - the muscle cramps to try and get some blood pushing through it to bring it more oxygen because it is being overworked. So yoga might well help relive menstrual cramping too.

I just looked up menstrual cramps and apparently they're caused by certain hormones which then cause muscle contractions just like with labor - so the cramps are the muscles having oxygen problems. The websites say that muscle - relaxing activities therefore help - hot baths, heating pads, and exercise and stretching. So if they're saying to exercise and stretch, yoga sounds like the perfect solution

Thanks everyone, good info!

In one of my yoga books it says that certain positions help with the pain of ovulating, PMS, cramps and even menopausal symptoms.

With the cycle imminent for me, I will give it a try - using yoga instead of Ibuprofen. Wish me luck!

Let us know how it works - I bet it will at least help out a bit!

I have been using bellydanceing. it streaches and strenghtens those muslces.... it also gets the blood flowing into that area. that has helped. of course the last period I had lasted two months and before that It has been 10yrs since I have had a normal one so... I just started and so far no cramps. the dr put me on meds for polycysicfibroid....something.... last month I was out two week with cramps and no period so this month i still have some cramps but not bad like last month!

Bellydancing is a great idea, freespirit! We have a whole site on that topic too

yep that is were I got the idea. A few years ago I got to reading a post about a girl who was big that bellydanced so I go a type and have played around with it off and on for a few years now. there was another post on another site that someone posted about belly dancing massages your insides from the inside out and it draws the blood into that area so it relieves cramps. after last month having cramps so bad that i prayed to die I thought well if I do belly danceing then next month I may not have then so bad and I may have a real period! and it kind of worked! maybe if i keep it up nextmonth will be better!

Good for you Freespirit! it sounds like you have found something that really works. I would hate having a two month period. That sounds really draining. It sounds like bellydancing is a big success for you.