7 Yoga Poses & Positions to Help Ease Menstrual Pain
We regularly get asked does yoga help with period cramps and if so what are the best positions or exercised for this? There are some people who rock their Lululemon’s and actually go to yoga. And there are other people who are sporting yoga pants and laying in savasana...in their bed while they watch Netflix. Hey, no judgment. But if you’ve been thinking about doing yoga and lacking the motivation to actually roll out your mat at home or head to a class, you might be interested in this: yoga can actually help ease cramps, headache, anxiety, and other period-related symptoms. If you practice yoga for a long time, these benefits will be even more likely but even doing period yoga for 5 minutes can help even your most stubborn period pains and menstrual cramps disappear. Different poses have different benefits but we’ve rounded up 7 of our best yoga positions that will help with your cramps and are also easy to do, enjoy!
1. Bound Angle Pose - Baddha Konasana
Diarrhea and constipation are par for the course when it comes to periods, thanks to the release of prostaglandins that cause your uterus to contract. Not super fun but, thankfully, bound angle pose can help. Not only does it soothe your digestive system but it can also provide relief from painful menstrual cramps. Oh, and it stimulates your ovaries making it a reproductive health power pose. If you’re feeling fatigued, spend some time in bound angle—it’ll revive your energy, too.
2. Reclined Bound Angle - Supta Baddha Konasana
Period-induced anxiety making you feel a bit cray? You need this pose. Reclined bound angle is similar to bound angle but you’re leaning back instead of forward. And the list of PMS symptoms that this pose helps is extensive—from fatigue and insomnia to anxiety to headaches, your period doesn’t stand a chance against this relaxing post. Since you’re leaning back into the pose, your abdominal muscles relax which can help ease cramping.
3. Child’s Pose - Balasana
Yoga isn’t just about external flexibility. The impact of many poses also benefits your organs, acting as a sort of internal massage. Child’s pose does this by flexing your reproductive organs, as well as releasing tension in your back, shoulders, and neck. If you’re among the masses of uterus owners who feel achy in the muscles and joints during menstruation, you’ll love this simple pose. Stay in it as long as you want—the calming effects it has on your mind are just as beneficial as the relaxation your body will feel.
4. Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend - Upavistha Konasana
Speaking of mind-calming poses, wide angle seated forward bend (that’s a mouthful) is where it’s at. On your period or not, stretch into this pose when the stress of life is getting to you. Like with every other pose, the benefits aren’t singular. This forward bend helps to stimulate your abdominal organs, leading to less painful cramps (both in the short and long-term).
5. Reclining Twist - Bharadvaja
One of the most popular poses for dealing with menstrual pain is the reclining twist. Why? Because it feels good and has massive health benefits. For starters, your back and hips will get a great stretch (much-needed if you’re dealing with aches and pains from your period). But your digestive organs are getting just as much stimulation due to the fresh blood flow from this pose. Win-win!
6. Inverted leg pose - Viparita Karani
Physical, mental, and emotional benefits abound in this pose. Like with many of the other poses we’ve talked about, inverted leg pose improves circulation and digestion, lowers blood pressure, boosts energy levels, and soothes the nervous system. It’s also said to increase creative thinking and problem solving (super helpful if you’re in the stage of menstruation where you feel like you can’t focus!). Emotionally, inverted leg pose can help you keep your chill, even in the midst of angsty mood swings.
6. Head to Knee Forward Bend - Janu Sirsasana
Another forward bend? Yes. And for good reason. The stimulating effect that forward bends have on the abdominal and reproductive muscles are unparalleled. The head to knee forward bend is another pose that can be modified to your experience level. No matter how you modify it, head to knee forward bend supports your reproductive and digestive system, relieves anxiety, fatigue, headaches, menstrual cramps, and can even help soothe mild depression.
Even if you just can’t bring yourself to head to a yoga class, doing one, some, or all of these yoga poses at home will help you to manage your period pains. Because let’s be real—soothing your cramps and headaches with sugary snacks and Netflix binges is only a temporary fix. Practicing yoga for even a few minutes a day will help you feel better, longer.
Check out our range of period products to help create a stress free period.
43 comments
Great poses. I eat very wholesome due to seizures and other past pain I’ve had in the past. I slipped up and had some fried chips before this cycle so I started cramping on my first day, but not as bad as it used to be. I made some tea with Clover, yarrow, chamomile, licorice, linden, and cbd. Then I searched up some yoga poses to do which is currently saving my life. Thank you my friend!
Hello. One person commented how it doesn’t work with endometriosis. It probably depends on the person. I have endometriosis and PCOS. I have extreme heavy flow and pretty bad cramps. These don’t seem to help long term but when I’m about to cry I can do these stretches and at least get relief while in the pose. Which makes a difference, even just a moment of relief when I feel like I can’t handle it another moment. Pain came back when I go back to work but I’m grateful for the momentary reliefs
I suffer from severe endometriosis. These stretches have given me so much relief when it comes to my cramps. I know there is nothing that will take everything away but stretching has really helped a lot
Hi Jarra! You certainly can do these from a bed, but it will be more affective on the floor. :)
-Team Lunette
Can you do these yoga posses on a bed?
just putting this out there: if you have endometriosis like i do, these poses do NOT work. the child’s pose is the only one that slightly alleviates anything at all. if you’re like me i recommend you save your energy and time and don’t do these because most of them made the pain worse. no hate, i hope these worked for women with more “normal” periods, but if you any period disorders i don’t recommend!
Hi Soma! Sorry to hear about the pain your daughter is experiencing! The yoga moves can be performed as often as you like. :)
-Team Lunette
My daughter is 17 years old and she is having tremendous pain. We did everything and doctor suggested for birth control pills for her. That didn’t work for her as well and back to pain again. My question is she needs to do these posses every day or only with the pain?
Thanks a lot
Hi Amanda! This is great to hear! <3
-Team Lunette
thank you team Lunette, these are very good, I do these poses with a heated pad underneath my sweatpants. Definitely recommend both!
Smh as a queer woman married to another woman idk dont know why i get this bs, lol. These really helped though since im not on any birthcontrol for cramps.
Hi, Sienna! Thank you for this feedback <3
-Team Lunette
Yeah thanks helps alot
These stretches really helped the menstrual pains in my back and stomach. Not to be judgy, I’m actually 13 and maybe the Lunett team can make stretches for 13 and older. Thank you so much❤️ -sienna Cordero
this was my second period and my back has been cramping A LOT and hurts A LOT. So I did a couple of these stretches, some didn’t work as well but I felt a little better after doing head to knee forward bend and the reclining bend. but the stretches like bound angle pose didn’t work as well sense i do a lot of dance which makes me flexible so there wasn’t a lot of tightness there.
I literally could not sleep it hurt so bad last night and today it was hurting to, i just tried a few of these and already WAY more relief and WAY faster than painkiller, thank you so much!! 😂👏💕
I really enjoyed trying these and I think I will try to do them daily, I have always had severe and horrible pain but especially recently. I have tried BC and medications but so far the pain is still persistent (sometimes I don’t even take pain meds anymore because they don’t do anything) but trying these stretches I actually feel a little better :) much appreciated even if it only helps a little.
Thank you for these! And doing the bridge pose also really helped me with pain!
Hi EsTana! Sorry to hear you are experiencing bad period pains! If the pain is so severe it is making you cry it’s best to discuss with your healthcare provider which pain relief medications would be best for you. <3
-Team Lunette
I’m just in too much pain to do these. . Is there any poses for 13 year olds? I’m littery crying right now… when i try poses, it just worsens a little bit
My pain level was so high I could not get to sleep. The reclined bound angle pose was so helpful. The guidance in the video is perfect. Soft soothing tone and excellent description on each pose. I love the idea of a gravity blanket with the heating pad. Thank you for the idea Liz. It sounds phenomenal.
Thank you so much! 🙏🏼⚘
I just tried all of the poses and now have no pain better than taking pain killers 🧘🏻♀️
Thank you so much 😭💖
That’s awesome news, Abigail! So glad we could help. :)
-Team Lunette
Wow, this is amazing. I’m in one of the positions right now typing this with so much relief because I didn’t want to take so many pills! This so great, thank you.
