Positions to help Period Cramps

 

The Best Positions to Help Period Cramps at Work, in Bed, or on the Mat

Periods can be a lot of things. For many, painful cramps are simply the norm.

 

This can impact your work life, social life, energy, mood, and even the quality of your sleep. If you’re someone who experiences pain, bloating, and a general feeling of blah during your period, you’re definitely not alone.

The good news is there are several steps you can take to relieve your symptoms so you can be virtually pain-free during your time of the month.

 Best positions to help period cramps

There are several positions for period cramps that promote relaxation, circulation, and alignment.

When sitting in a chair

Doctor of physical therapy Laurence Agénor specializes in orthopedics, pelvic health, and dance medicine. She recommends using a lumbar support pillow on your chair to decrease low-back pressure.

Keeping your spine as neutral as possible is key, according to Agénor. Ideally, your feet are firmly planted on the ground and your hips are aligned with your knees at 90 degrees while you’re sitting.

Movement breaks

Agénor also notes the importance of taking breaks to move throughout your day.

“Getting up to walk around or move for a few minutes on an hourly basis will help minimize stiffness and improve blood flow throughout the body,” she says.

Yoga positions to help period cramps

Heading to your yoga mat may not seem intuitive when your cramps are bothersome, but yoga can provide multiple benefits.

According to a 2017 review of fifteen studies, yoga can relieve premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, such as:

  • bloating
  • cramping
  • breast tenderness

A 2011 studyTrusted Source found that yoga can reduce the severity and duration of primary dysmenorrhea (more on this below).

In addition to physical benefits, research from 2011Trusted Source shows yoga can relieve mental health symptoms. For example, it may help:

Agénor says gentle movement during your menstrual cycle improves the uterine and overall blood flow throughout the body, which relieves cramping.

“Getting your body moving aids in decreasing muscular tension throughout the body, which can help ease your discomfort during that time of the month,” she says.

Whether you’re a yogi or not, the below poses can be a wonderful way to soothe painful cramps.

Supported Savasana (supine position)

Benefits:

  • relieves pain
  • decompresses the lumbar spine (lower back)
  • improves circulation
  • supports rest and relaxation

To do this pose, lie on your back with a bolster underneath your legs. Agénor says this is the most pain-relieving position for period cramps. This helps decrease feelings of compression in the low back. In yoga, this is known as Supported Savasana.

 

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