A gynaecologist explains the benefits of yoga for menstrual health, best yoga poses to regulate periods, and the importance of breathwork.
From irregular periods and painful cramps to PCOD and Pre-Menstrual Syndrome, menstrual symptoms can reflect deeper imbalances in the hormonal, metabolic, or nervous systems. While medical treatments are often necessary, incorporating yoga into one’s lifestyle offers a holistic and evidence-backed way to support menstrual and reproductive health. Practicing the best yoga poses for menstrual health, as well as maintaining a stress-free lifestyle, can help women regulate their periods and reduce painful symptoms.
Does yoga for menstrual health work?
Polycystic Ovary Disorder (PCOD) affects an estimated 6–20 percent of women globally. It is characterized by insulin resistance, androgen excess, irregular ovulation, and anxiety. In adolescent girls diagnosed with PCOD, a 12-week holistic yoga regimen was found to outperform general physical exercise in improving hormonal markers—significantly reducing Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), testosterone, hirsutism scores, and improving menstrual regularity.
Yoga asanas for hormonal balance
Specific yoga poses stimulate endocrine function and enhance pelvic circulation. These yoga asanas include:
1. Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose)
It gently relaxes the abdominal and pelvic muscles, improving uterine and ovarian blood flow and reducing menstrual cramps.
2. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
This yoga pose tones the pelvic muscles and stimulates the thyroid gland—often referred to as the ‘master regulator’ of hormones.
3. Malasana (Garland Pose)
It aids pelvic flexibility, eases lower back tension, and supports digestion.
4. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)
This yoga asana calms the nervous system and soothes PMS symptoms, including bloating and anxiety.
5. Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall)
Putting your legs up the wall may activate the parasympathetic system, lower cortisol, and reduce pelvic inflammation.
6. Balasana (Child’s Pose)
This relaxing yoga pose for menstrual health relieves lower back pain and abdominal cramps, calms the nervous system, improves blood circulation to the pelvis, reduces bloating, and supports rest.
Also read: 8 yoga asanas to manage irregular periods
Breathwork for stress reduction
Persistent stress raises cortisol, which can inhibit the production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), disrupting menstrual cycles. Studies show pranayama techniques, such as Bhramari (humming bee breath) performed over six months, help regulate cortisol response to stress.
Furthermore, controlled breathing exercises have been shown to significantly decrease cortisol and epinephrine levels—supporting emotional balance and resiliency in women with menstrual irregularities.
Make yoga for menstrual health a habit
Yoga is a lifestyle. Combining dynamic postures (like Bridge and Garland) with restorative poses (like Child’s Pose and Supta Baddha Konasana) and regular Pranayama, builds long-term hormonal harmony. Adjusting the practice to the menstrual cycle is key. Practice dynamic sequences during the follicular/ovulatory phase, and restorative ones during menstruation and luteal phases.
You may also like
Over time, yoga fosters routine, body awareness, and emotional stability, all of which are essential pillars of menstrual health care.
As healthcare providers, it is important that we acknowledge and integrate such complementary practices into our recommendations, particularly those that empower women to better understand and manage their reproductive health. A structured yoga practice can be an effective adjunct to conventional therapy, promoting overall well-being across various stages of a woman’s reproductive life.