06 Jul 3 Ultimate Yoga Poses To The Rescue When PMS Strikes You Down
Ladies, let’s talk about the crucial things in our life. We all know how it is at the time of the month. Majority of us feel bloated, slightly or highly on edge, super crampy or irritable. Most importantly, we are not like our usual self. Oh, hello, PMS!
Hands up who knows the feeling? Not exactly the time we fancy going to a sweaty yoga class. Or going to any movement class, let’s be real here.
Sometimes just moving out of bed when PMS knocks you down, can be a small victory. It’s more like pass me the ice cream and watch movies all day with my hot water bottle on the sofa time. As we all know, yoga is made of dynamic flowing poses; moreover, there is plenty of restorative yoga poses that during your cycle can help you start to feel like yourself again. We chose three yoga poses for you to begin feeling good again in no time.
And the best thing about all of these poses is, you don’t even need to change out of your comfy PJ’s. Chances are very high; you don’t even have to leave your bed either. Additionally, you can spend as long as your body craves in each of the below poses.
Light some candles, pop your favourite calming oil in the diffuser and hit play on your chilled tunes.
Choose your favourite pose or do them all for a little restorative sequence, yogis choice!
Child’s Pose
Why: A excellent resting posture to gather up your energy while relieving low back pain and opening your hips, thighs, and ankles.
How to do it: Kneel with knees slightly apart, and toes touching, crawl your hands forward. Keeping arms long and in front of you, allow the forehead to rest on the ground or your bed, and your bum to rest on your heels. You can relax your arms by your side, palms facing up or down if that feels better. To make it even comfier, place a bolster or a rolled up blanket under your chest and snuggle down.
You can stay for 10 or more deep breaths. The longer you stay, the more therapeutic it will be for your body.
Seated Forward Fold
Why: An introspective posture, opening your back body while massaging your internal organs.
How to do it: From a seated position, extend legs long in front of you. Keeping knees soft, take a deep breath to fill yourself with space, and use your exhale to lean forward, gently folding over your legs. If you have a tight lower back, sit on a block or blanket. Are you feeling super stiff today? Bend your knees loads and slide a bolster or a rolled up blanket underneath them and slowly fold forward and bliss out.
Stay for at least five deep breaths to fully surrender into your forward fold.
Legs Up The Wall
Why: This pose relieves stress and anxiety.
How to do it: Sit sideways next to a wall. Lie down on one side, facing away from the wall with butt touching it. Using your arms to lift legs up the wall as you roll over onto your back. There should be no space between your butt and the wall. Allow your arms to fall on either side of you. Your palms can face up for openness or down for an extra level of grounding. Sliding a blanket or small cushion underneath your hips can add to the relaxing factor. Ultimate yum chill out points, place an eye mask – optionally lavender infused – over your eyes.
Stay here for at least ten breaths and please, do stay longer if your body craves it.
Finally, always listen to your body when PMS strikes again. It will let you know what it craves and you can nourish it accordingly. In case you don’t feel like you are keen to swap your comfy PJ’s for yoga tights to practice at your yoga studio. Just roll out your mat in your bedroom and log on to yogaholics to try out Gina’s Slow Flow for PMS – perfect for easing PMS pain with slow nourishing moves.
Let’s embrace our dreaded time of the month with some juicy yoga goodness for our bodies. No judgement if you indulge in some salted caramel ice-cream after class. Match made in heaven, we think.
