What type of yoga to relieve my painful periods?
Iyengar, Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa… It's not easy to navigate the different types of yoga. Nor to know which practice suits us. Smoon offers you a short guide to get started and do yourself good, even from home, and even during your menstruation. And yes ! Certain postures relieve pain during this period of the cycle. So inhale deeply, exhale release everything, let's go!
Asteria Menstrual Cycling Shorts
Hersé period leggings
Hatha yoga: traditional Zen yoga to start with
Yoga comes from the word “yuj” meaning coupling or union in Sanskrit. A discipline that we work towards to connect body and mind. The hatha is one of its most traditional forms. It encompasses all styles of yoga, but it is characterized by slow movements. In the practice of hatha we hold the postures longer than in dynamic yoga, and we approach the different breathing patterns. We therefore work on our flexibility and musculature as in all yogas, but in a rhythm that brings refocusing and relaxation.
Ashtanga and Vinyasa: dynamic yogas for sweating
Ashtanga is one of the dynamic yogas. We follow the postures at a sustained pace, in a precise order. It is therefore an invigorating and sporting activity, where you burn calories! Of course, as in all yogas, well-timed breathing also leads to refocusing and relaxation.
The advantage with Ashtanga is that we work on the same postures and perfect them. On the Vinyasa side - its little brother - same dynamic rhythm, but we follow the postures in an undefined order and we benefit from more variety. It is also called “flow yoga”. You choose.
There are of course other forms of yoga such as Iyengar, Kundalini, Yin... But they are more technical and require the presence of a teacher to begin.
Postures that provide relief during periods
During your period , you can continue to practice yoga, especially since it soothes the mind. You just have to adapt it and go slowly. We avoid inverted postures such as candlelight or sirsana (a posture on the head) to respect the direction of flow of our flow. We also avoid all those which lock the abs like the crocodile plank, or twists at the lower abdomen. On the other hand, we can practice postures that relieve the back, relax the pelvic region and open the pelvis. For great freedom of movement and optimal comfort, we practice them with our menstrual panties ! Some examples :
- the lying butterfly (you lie on your back with your feet together near the perineum, your spine firmly placed on the ground, then you open your knees slowly with each exhale).
- the child's posture (kneeling, bring your legs together, tuck your chin in and let your head fall to the ground, back relaxed, arms around you).
- the open angle posture (we sit with our legs apart then lean forward, with our torso resting on a cushion).
Yoga at home
To practice well at home, setting up a ritual is important. Set up a pleasant corner with a yoga mat, a plant, a candle, whatever makes you look good. Plan a time during the day when you will not be disturbed, and wear comfortable, light clothing.
To get started or simply because you prefer to practice with support, we have selected some special yoga applications for you.
Yoga Buddhi
A nice app for absolute beginners.
5 minutes of yoga
Simple and refined, an app to get started or get back into it gently, with 5 well-explained postures, 5 minutes a day with a timer.
Daily yoga
For all levels with various training choices, particularly focused on weight loss or stress management.
Down dog
An app where you choose your level, the duration of the session and the type of yoga you prefer.
And for those who prefer a larger screen and practicing live with other people, you will find online courses offered by many teachers, often free during confinement. Namaste!
By Elise
