Menopause is a part of every woman’s life and it is a time that marks the end of menstrual cycles. It can happen to women in their 40s and 50s. During menopause, the ovaries start producing a lower number of hormones including estrogen and progesterone – this is when the symptoms of menopause surge. One such symptom of menopause is insomnia. According to the National Sleep Foundation, around 61 % of women experience sleep problems during menopause. Insomnia is a sleep disorder wherein a person finds it difficult to sleep or stay asleep. They often wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble going back to sleep.
If you’re someone seeking help for the same, you can consult a professional doctor. In addition to medication, you can practice some yoga asanas which will help you tackle insomnia.
Yoga Poses for Insomnia during Menopause
Yoga during menopause may not lessen bothersome hot flashes but it will help treat insomnia. Here are two yoga asanas that will help treat insomnia during menopause.
Also Read: Yoga For Arthritis: These Asanas Can Help Alleviate Arthritis Pain That’s Making Life Difficult
Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
- Stand straight on a mat and place your hands on your hips.
- Bend your body forward, moving your hips and tailbone slightly back.
- Let your hands rest on the ground, next to your feet. Keep your feet parallel to each other.
- You will feel the stretch in your hamstrings, if not then you are not doing the pose right.
- The crown of your head must reach the floor.
- Hold the pose and release the pose after a while, contracting the core and abdomen muscles. Stand up slowly.
Other Benefits of Uttanasana
Some other benefits of Uttanasana include:
- Strengthens thighs and knees.
- Relieves stiffness of the spine, neck and back if practised regularly.
- Therapeutic for infertility and osteoporosis.
- Rejuvenates the mind and by allowing direct blood flow into the head.
- Improves bodily balance and improves posture.
- Aids digestion.
- Reduces high blood pressure.
- Treats symptoms of asthma and headaches.
- Alleviates symptoms of stress, anxiety and fatigue.
Also Read: 5-minute Morning Yoga: 2 Yoga Asanas For Kidney healthy and Hormonal Balance
Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-legged Standing Forward Bend)
- Straighten your arms to the sides and widen your stance until your ankles are directly under your wrists.
- Pull your forehead down towards the floor. Press into the feet while lifting your hips toward the ceiling.
- You will feel a pull on the spine as you press the head down.
- Take a deep breath and hold the pose for about 8 breaths.
- Release the arms to the sides and inhale back into a standing position.
Other Benefits of Prasarita Padottanasana
Creates a balance in the body by helping in strengthening the lower body as well as opening the hip flexors.
- Deals with stress and anxiety. Brain fog is diminished.
- Great for people suffering from intense lower backache, sciatica and slipped disc.
- Aids in digestion and constipation by massaging the organs of the digestive system.
- Corrects your posture.
- Helps achieve a state of balance of stress and harmony.
- Reduces headaches and uplifts insomnia.
- Provides rest to the heart.
- Relieves stress, anxiety and depression.
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