Yoga Poses that help Menopausal Symptoms

The abdominal cramps, stress, anxiety, sleeping difficulties, swelling in various parts of the body, sudden weight gain, mood swings, hot flashes and fatigue are the characteristic signs of menopause. To embrace the transition of menopause in your midlife, it demands physical strength as well as mental clarity and emotional balance. And, yoga provides it all. Yoga renders several benefits to menopausal symptoms as well as it replenishes your energy reserves. Take help of these mentioned yoga exercises to stand strong against the odds of menopause.  

[Read: Menopause and Midlife Crisis]

Viparita Karani

This yoga pose also known as legs up the wall pose or inversion lake pose, alleviate symptoms of menopause by regulating blood flow, decreasing menstrual cramps and rendering a complete workout to your lower body. Pmsing women can practice this yoga pose regularly to reduce the swelling in their legs and feet. Here are the instructions to practice Viparita Karani asana.

• Lie on your back on the ground while placing your legs onto the wall. Your upper body should be perpendicular to the wall.
• Your hip bones should be close  so that they are right up against the wall.
• You can take  support  of a pillow or a small cushion under your lower back.
• Hold this pose for 5-15 minutes or for longer.

Setu Bandhasana

Also known as the bridge pose, this yoga asana reduces fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, calms the brain and central nervous system, regulates blood pressure and strengthens abdominal organs, thereby, relieving menopausal symptoms. Practice it regularly and you will surely feel improvement in your condition. Here is the correct way of performing bridge pose.

• To start practicing this pose, lie down on your back with hands pressed at your sides.
• Bring your feet closer to your hips by folding your legs.
• Place your hands under your back with your palms supporting each of your hips.
• Now start hoisting your hips.
• Thereafter, lift your spine while supporting yourself with your elbows placed on the floor.
• After you have attained this pose, straighten out your legs in the air (it might be difficult to do!) while keeping your knees close together and straight. Ideally, your toe fingers should paint forward.
• Inhale deeply and hold the pose for as long as you can.
• To return to the original position, bring your feet closer to the hips and then lower your back to the ground and remove your hands under your back.

[Watch: How to do Bridge Pose]

Besides the above discussed poses, you can practice forward bend pose, seated forward bend pose, downward facing dog pose, bound angle pose and corpse pose to help your menopausal symptoms. Talk to a  yoga trainer to learn the right way of performing these yoga asanas. Resorting to yoga to improve your menopausal symptoms doesn’t allow you to discontinue your medical treatment.

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