Hello Ladies, We know being a woman is colorful and the journey of our body goes through a biological roller-coaster. Menopause is something that can be seen as ‘transition into a new phase of life’. In this article of Yoga for Menopause we will first discuss about the biological aspects of menopause. Then we will move to understand various stages of menopause. After that we would walk through the exact reasons why doing yoga helps with menopause. And in the last section we will delve deeper into the asana and pranayama that one should practise to get maximum benefits from yoga in menopause.
Biological aspects of Menopause
Basically, a woman is born with eggs stored in her ovaries. The ovary is also responsible for the creation of estrogen and progesterone, the hormones that control the periods, and the release of eggs (ovulation). Now when the ovaries no longer release the eggs every month, menstruation stops and menopause begins. It is considered the inception of Menopause when a woman hasn’t experienced menstruation for a period of one year. It is the phase when a woman can no longer become pregnant naturally, marking the end of fertility.
Stages of Menopause
The entire process of menopause is classified into three stages:
- Peri-menopause
- Menopause
- Post-menopause.
Menopause comes with a lot of pain and uneasiness in a woman’s body. Most women who are about to enter menopause will experience the following symptoms:
- Hot Flashes
- Vaginal Dryness
- Sore Breasts
- Weight gain
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Difficulty in concentrating
- Reduced Libido
- Headaches
- Painful or stiff joints
- Loss of muscle mass
These symptoms may vary in severity and duration as they are generally the results of declining levels of estrogens, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and other hormones.
While there is no denying the fact of how unpleasant and painful this phase is, there is a practice regime that alleviates the pain and helps restore the calmness in the body – Yoga. Yes, Yoga. Many women have found that the regular practice of yoga has the capacity to eliminate the undesirable side effects of menopause. Research has also shown that practicing yoga constantly may provide ample amount of relief from several symptoms including hot flashes!
Yoga being a natural-comprehensive remedy will help quiet the mind, body, and soul.
Reasons to practice yoga during Menopause
- It’s a natural remedy
- Yoga helps to relieve stress
- Helps in reducing blood pressure organically
- Yoga improves joint health
- Yoga helps to reduce hot flashes.
- Yoga provides relief from physical as well as mental discomfort.
- Yoga is linked to better weight management.
Further ahead, we will see the best yoga poses suited for Perimenopause, Menopause, and Post-menopause along with some best practices and yoga poses specially designed for several symptoms of menopause like Insomnia, Anxiety, depression, and weight gain.
Yoga poses for Perimenopause.
Perimenopause is the official stage that takes place 3-4 years before menopause. This is the phase where ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen leading to irregular periods. Your menstrual cycle may be late or may completely skip one or more cycles. Menstrual flow may be heavier or lighter. It usually starts in the ’40s, but in some cases, it may also start in a woman’s ’30s.
Regular practice of yoga can prepare you as well as provide you with relief during this particular stage of menopause. Although one must keep in mind that excessive hot yoga during this phase may exacerbate symptoms. Instead, follow a simple yoga routine or restorative yoga practices.
Some of the most common problems faced by women during this phase are:
- Vaginal dryness (which reduces sex drive)
- Hot Flashes
- Breast Tenderness
- Mood swings
- Irregular Periods
We have listed below best-suited yoga poses for Perimenopause with gentle and mindful movements to keep you grounded, connect you to your body, and relax the mind.
1. Reclining bound angle pose | Supta baddha konasana
Steps:
- To begin with, get into ‘Staff pose | Dandasana’ with your legs stretched in front of you. Use a mat or blanket if possible.
- Bend your knees and bring the heels towards your pelvis. Press the soles of your feet together and allow your knees to drop open on respective sides. This is the Bound Angle pose or Cobbler’s Pose or Baddha Konasana.
- Now gently lean backward and place your elbows on the floor. Then slowly lower your back all the way to the floor.
- Now adjust your position by gently pushing your buttocks from side to side so that your spine lengthens along the floor maintaining the natural curve of the lower back.
- Let your arms relax with palms facing up and draw your shoulder blades gently inwards.
- Lengthen your tailbone towards the heels and relax your buttocks.
- Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths. Allow your body to feel heavy.
- Stay in this position for one minute and gradually extend your stay anywhere from five to ten minutes at your convenience.
- To come out, draw your knees together, roll to your right side, and use your hands to press yourself up to a comfortable position.
Precautions:
- Avoid this Asana if you have an injury in the knee, hip, groin, lower back, or shoulder.
- Always work with your own range of limits and abilities. Do not push your body.