Tips for Menstrual Pain Relief

When it happens every month, let’s stop the dread and celebrate this time. Here’s a guide to overcome menstrual pain and cramps through 3 mindful rituals and 5 therapeutic asanas. Relieve tension in body and mind in a few tried-and-true simple steps.

3 Mindful Menstrual Rituals

1. Take a Ritual Bath

During menstruation, our bodies are more tender to the touch, more introspective.

Commencing day one or two of your cycle with a bath gives you that pause to go inward to meditate, relax and cleanse. Simply use our They Call Me Wild Rose or our Calm Before The Storm Bath Soaks. Herbs and botanicals like rosebuds, calendula and Epsom salts can calm your mind while the hot water can help soothe any tightness in the muscles of your womb.

In case you don’t have a bathtub, simply combine a scoop of your Bath Soak with a bit of water into a jar and use it as a body scrub, letting the warm shower water wash over you and penetrate the herbs into your skin.

2. Give yourself a therapeutic Candle Massage

For centuries, people have used essential oils to treat a variety of conditions such as menstrual cramps and headaches. A Massage Candle like the White Peony or the Aegean Fig is the ideal medium to achieve both mental and physical relaxation.

From the moment you light up your candle, the smell of the aromas immediately sends a signal of self-love and well-being to the your brain, helping induce calmness.

When the soy wax candle has liquified into oil, pour a few drops in your hands and massage gently your abdominal area to relax the uterus and reduce uterine spams. Preferably practice this ritual once per day for a few days the week prior to your menstrual cycle for more effectiveness.

3. Honor your Menstrual Cycle with a Palo Santo Ritual

Palo santo is a traditional remedy for pain, inflammation, and stress. Burning Palo Santo promotes positive energies and diffuses bad ones.

Take one stick and light it with a candle, match or lighter. Allow the Palo Santo stick to burn for 30 seconds to a minute and carefully blow it out. Move around the space in which you wish to clear the energy, allowing the smoke to waft around each area. A rich smell will fill the air, bringing peace and clarity to the moment. Once you feel you have cleansed your space, place the Palo Santo stick in a fireproof ceramic holder and allow the embers to burn out. Remember to always exercise care and caution when working with fire.

The calming and grounding smell of its essential oil helps reduce anxiety and nervousness, as well as alleviating menstrual headaches and migraines.

5 Asanas for Menstrual Pain Relief

1. Balasana

One of the most familiar yoga poses, the child’s pose flexes your reproductive organs, while also releasing tension in your back, neck and shoulders.

Sit in a wide knee position, walk your hands forward as per your comfort level, bring your forehead down to the ground and breathe.

Balasana helps relax the mind as well.

2. Bitilasana Marjaryasana

Cat Cow pose is a two part flow that targets your back and your abdominal muscles.

Starting with the Cow pose, sit on all fours with your hands aligned under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Gently stretch your head upwards, gazing towards the sky as you breathe in. At the same time, raise your tailbone towards the sky and drop your belly towards the ground.

To move into the Cat pose, after a deep inhalation, breathe out slowly while curling your back and stretching your head and your tailbone towards the ground.

Exhale on Marjaryasana and inhale on Bitilasana. Repeat several times to warm up your spine and help overcome menstrual pain.

This asana sequence massages the digestive organs and improves digestion and blood circulation.

3. Ananda Balasana

Happy Baby pose is a gentle and soothing pose that’s great for increasing relaxation and stretching the body.

Lie flat on your back, bend your knees toward your chest at a 90 degree angle, face the soles of your feet up toward the ceiling and grab and hold the outside of your feet. Spread your knees apart, shifting them toward your armpits and flex your heels into your hands. Gently rock from side to side and inhale and exhale deeply. Remain in this position for several breaths.

Ananda Balasana has a calming effect, ideal for releasing menstrual tension in body and mind.

4. Bharadvajasana Variation

Originally Bharadvajasana is done from a seated position. But for maximum relief and support, we suggest that you bring it down to the floor with a reclining spinal twist. This is a very enjoyable and beneficial posture for all body types.

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent, your feet flat on the floor and let your arms rest at your sides. Draw both knees to your chest and clasp your hands around them (apanasana). Extend your left leg along the floor, keeping your right knee drawn to your chest. Extend your right arm out along the floor at shoulder-height with your palm facing down. Shift your hips slightly to the right and place your left hand on the outside of your right knee. Drop your right knee over the left side of your body, keep your left hand resting gently on your right knee and turn your head to the right, softening your gaze toward your right fingertips. Keep your shoulder blades pressing toward the floor and away from your ears. Allow the force of gravity to drop your knee even closer to the floor. Hold the pose for several breaths and on an inhalation, slowly come back to center, bringing both knees to your chest in Apanasana. Exhale and repeat with the opposite side.

With this Bharadvajasana variation, you get a fantastic stretch for your spine and hips which is especially helpful if you’re battling menstrual cramps and pains. Moreover, the reclining twist activates blood circulation stimulating the digestive organs.

5. Shavasana

Corpse pose is a favourite ending posture and it is especially useful in the practice of mindfulness to achieve menstrual pain relief. It is less about stretching your body and more about focusing on your breathing and relaxing your mind.

Lie flat on your back and rest your hands with the palms facing up. Slowly relax your body, starting with the top of your head, then your neck, your shoulders, your spine, your arms and hands, your thighs, your calves, your ankles, and finally your feet. Meditative breathing will help you focus on something other than period pain.

Corpse pose is the best time to practice your belly breathing. Take long, deep, and controlled breaths and avoid quick, shallow breathing.

Stay in Shavasana for as long as you need.