5 Easy-Peacy Poses: Yoga for Irregular Periods and PCOS

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Are your periods irregular? Have you got yourself checked for PCOS? Almost 75 to 85% of women with PCOS face menstrual dysfunction at some point during their PCOS journey. Do you know what can help? Yoga. Read to know more about the benefits of yoga for irregular periods and PCOS!

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How Does PCOS Affect Periods?

Generally, in women, every month a follicle (a fluid-like sac) ruptures to release an egg (ovum) from either of the ovaries.

However, this does not happen in PCOS. In PCOS, the ovaries produce more than the normal amount of male hormones called androgens, which are usually present in a smaller amount in females. 

As a result of this hormonal imbalance, the follicle may not mature or may not release eggs. This lack of ovulation leads to irregular menstrual cycles. In PCOS, you can get regular periods, delayed periods, or even no periods at all.

How Can Yoga Help Regulate Periods in PCOS?

The treatment of PCOS requires medication and few lifestyle changes. While medication can be an effective treatment, yoga can act as a holistic approach to relieve the symptoms of PCOS, including irregular periods.

Studies suggest that yoga improves hormonal balance in your body by enhancing your body’s blood flow and circulation towards the pelvic region. It also improves the levels of sex hormones and regulates the menstrual cycle, Yoga may lower the levels of testosterone in women and reduce the symptoms of PCOS such as irregular periods and weight gain.

Yoga reduces the levels of stress hormones in your body and calms the mind. It also reduces insulin resistance in women with PCOS. In this way, yoga can help manage PCOS and one of its most common symptoms, irregular periods.

Yoga for Irregular Periods: 5 Poses

Some poses or yoga asanas for irregular periods include:

1. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Bhujangasana helps manage your hormonal imbalance and thereby aids in regulating periods. Regularly performing bhujangasana not only regulates your menstrual cycles but also reduces the pain and discomfort during periods.

How to do it:

  1. Start with lying on the floor on your stomach with your legs together.
  2. Keeping your palms pressed on the floor, raise your upper body slowly while inhaling. 
  3. Stretch your neck as much as possible.
  4. Stay in this position for a few minutes and return to the relaxed starting position slowly. 
  5. Repeat this pose 5 times in one session.

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Adho Mukha Svanasana helps in making your abdominal muscles stronger and regulating periods.

How to do it:

  1. Position yourself to touch the floor with all four limbs.
  2. Place your arms down straight, with your head facing front, bend your knees and stretch your lower legs outwards on the ground, creating the form of a table. 
  3. Slowly lift your hips while breathing out.
  4. Straighten your arms and elbows to form a V-shaped structure. 
  5. Extend your arms to elevate your body further. 
  6. Hold the pose for a few minutes, relax and come back to the table position.

3. Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

Ustrasana is known to regulate your periods and also relaxes your muscles to provide relief from period cramps. It also improves your body’s flexibility and strengthens your shoulders and back.

How to do it:

  1. Kneel on the floor, keeping your upper body straight and aligned.
  2. Extend your body backwards while trying to hold your heels with your hands.
  3. Push your hips forward and your head backwards and stretch as much as you can.
  4. Stay in this position for 20 to 25 seconds and release your heels to come back to the kneeled sitting position.
  5. Repeat this movement 4 to 5 times in one session.

4. Matsyasana (Fish Pose)

Matsyasana stretches your spine and muscles in the back. It also relaxes your mind and body. It may help stimulate menstrual flow and improve the functioning of the female reproductive organs.

How to do it:

  1. Lie down straight on your back, with your feet together and hands alongside the body.
  2. Keep your hands under your hips with your palms facing down and elbows touching your waistline.
  3. While inhaling, raise your chest further raising the back of your head.
  4. Make sure the top of your head is touching the ground.
  5. Press your elbows into the ground, placing your weight on the elbows and not on the head. 
  6. Lift your chest up between your shoulder blades. Press your thighs and legs to the floor.
  7. Stay in this position for 2-3 minutes or as long as you can hold and then release slowly back to the lying position.

5. Chakravakasana (Cat-Cow Pose)

Chakravakasana helps significantly improve your stress levels and relaxes your mind.

How to do it:

  1. Get on a yoga mat on your hands and knees.
  2. Move into the tabletop position while distributing your weight on your palms and knees. 
  3. Align your wrists and elbows with your shoulders and knees under your hips.
  4. Relax your back and keep it as flat as you can.
  5. Inhale while lowering your belly towards the floor and lift your chin along with your tailbone. This is the cow pose.
  6. Reverse this movement while exhaling and tucking in your tailbone and chin, doming your back in the form of an arc. This is the cat pose. 
  7. Repeat this for 5-10 breaths

How Much Yoga Can You Do for Irregular Periods in PCOS?

You can perform 25 minutes to an hour of yoga per day for irregular periods in PCOS. Generally, it can take up to 12 weeks or more to observe significant changes due to the yoga poses for irregular periods. Studies suggest that women who performed yoga daily and on a regular basis found significant improvements in their menstrual frequency. Therefore, being consistent is the key for yoga to work for irregular periods in PCOS.

Other Ways to Regulate Your Periods in PCOS

There are other ways to help stimulate and improve period regularity in women with PCOS. These include:

  • Majority of women having PCOS experience weight gain. Therefore, it is important to maintain a healthy weight. Even a 5% weight loss can lead to an improvement in insulin resistance, hormone levels, and menstrual cycles.
  • Exercising daily and adopting a healthy balanced diet can help regulate your periods in PCOS. It helps manage your body weight, blood glucose levels, and hormonal levels and thus regulate your periods.
  • Hormonal birth control in the form of pills, patches, etc can help regulate your menstrual cycle and improve PCOS symptoms.
  • Insulin-sensitising medication such as metformin, is also used in the treatment process for PCOS. It works by reducing insulin resistance in PCOS. Once insulin is controlled, you may see improvements in menstrual cycles.
  • Medications to induce ovulation such as metformin, clomiphene, letrozole, and gonadotropins can help the ovaries release eggs normally and regulate your menstrual cycles. 

Don’t Have Time To Read?

  • In women with PCOS, increased male hormone (androgen) levels prevent ovulation, which leads to irregular menstrual cycles.
  • The treatment of PCOS requires medication and a few lifestyle changes that can act as a holistic approach to relieve the symptoms of PCOS, including irregular periods. 
  • Yoga may improve hormonal balance in your body and reduce the symptoms of PCOS such as irregular periods and weight gain.
  • Some of the yoga poses for irregular periods that you can do regularly include Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose), Ustrasana (Camel Pose), Matsyasana (Fish Pose) and Chakravakasana (The Cat-Cow Pose).
  • Performing 25 minutes to an hour of yoga per day may help with irregular periods in PCOS. Yoga may take 12 weeks or more to show significant results.
  • Other ways to help stimulate and improve period regularity in women with PCOS include maintaining a healthy weight, exercising daily, adopting a balanced diet, using hormonal birth control, and taking medication.
  • Start your PCOS management journey with Phable. Use the Phable Care App to consult India’s leading gynaecologists, endocrinologists, nutritionists, and dieticians; order medicines; book lab tests; and get real-time remote care from the comfort of your home. Check out our store to order healthy treats, weighing scales, fitness bands, and more! We also have a PCOS Management program that provides ‎360º care. 

Friendly Asked Questions

Which yoga is best for hormonal imbalance?

Some of the best yoga poses for maintaining hormonal balance in PCOS are Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose), Ustrasana (Camel Pose), Matsyasana (Fish Pose), and Chakravakasana (The Cat-Cow Pose).

Which yoga pose is best for PCOS?

Some of the best yoga poses or yoga asanas for PCOS are Dhanurasana ( Bow Pose), Supta baddha konasana ( Butterfly or Bound Angle Pose), Setu bandhasana ( Bridge Pose), Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), and Matsyasana (Fish Pose).

What helps manage PCOS irregular periods?

One of the best ways to manage irregular periods due to PCOS is to adopt healthy lifestyle changes. It can include following a balanced diet, increasing physical activity, and managing stress by incorporating practices such as yoga into your daily routine.

Is the butterfly yoga pose good for PCOS?

Yes, the butterfly yoga pose, also known as baddha konasana, is one of the easiest yoga poses to do for PCOS. This pose not only relaxes your body but also relieves your body from the distress caused during menstruation.

Can yoga cure irregular periods in PCOS?

No, yoga cannot cure irregular periods in PCOS. PCOS cannot be cured and needs to be managed effectively. By performing 25 minutes to an hour of yoga per day, you may be able to regulate your periods in PCOS. Yoga may take 12 weeks or even more to show significant results. Yoga for irregular periods and PCOS must be accompanied by healthy lifestyle practices such as a balanced diet and regular physical activity.