Menstrual cramps are common among women. They can sometimes turn our everyday lives into a real torment. The so-called hormone yoga is intended to help counteract menstrual pain, cycle disorders, PMS symptoms and menopausal symptoms. What is behind it and whether hormone yoga really makes sense is explained below.
The most important facts about hormone yoga at a glance
- Hormone yoga is said to have a positive effect on the female hormone balance.
- A training session in hormone yoga usually consists of three different phases.
- Hormone yoga is recommended, for example, for women going through menopause and women with cycle disorders.
- Health reasons such as endometriosis or osteoporosis can speak against women doing hormone yoga.
- It is not scientifically proven that hormone yoga actually influences the formation of hormones such as oestrogen.
- Regular physical activities such as yoga can help to increase overall well-being.
What is hormone yoga?
Hormonal yoga is a special type of yoga that is designed to promote the production of certain hormones. The practice is thus said to help balance hormones and improve well-being. Some even claim that hormone yoga can make any hormone replacement therapies that may be necessary superfluous.
How does hormone yoga work?
The training in hormone yoga follows a more or less fixed sequence. Basically, you should set aside some time for the yoga session so that you can complete the workout from start to finish and get the most out of your exercise programme.
A hormone yoga workout usually consists of three different phases:
- Warm-up phase
- Main phase
- Relaxation phase
The warm-up phase
The warm-up phase is about preparing the body. The muscles are loosened and stretched so that you are ready for the following main phase of your yoga training.
The Main Phase
The main phase is the heart of the workout. It is designed to last around half an hour. During this time you do a set of exercises and pay attention to your breathing technique.
The relaxation phase
A final relaxation phase is an essential part of hormone yoga. It serves to relax you after the training. For this purpose, we meditate together, for example.
For whom is hormone yoga suitable?
Hormonal yoga is intended to help women in very different situations. If you are already a little older, for example, it can help to counteract the complaints associated with your menopause. But younger women can also benefit from the effects of hormone yoga.
The exercises are supposed to help with menstrual disorders. They are also said to help relieve menstrual cramps. If you experience PMS symptoms before your period every month, hormone yoga is also said to be suitable for you.
Who is hormone yoga not suitable for?
Although hormone yoga is suitable for almost all women, there are a few exceptions. For example, women are advised not to do hormone yoga during pregnancy. This is also true if you have health problems such as endometriosis, osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease.
If you have health problems and are not sure whether hormone yoga is suitable for you, please talk to your doctor beforehand. After all, the training should do you good and not harm you or aggravate existing complaints.
Is the effectiveness of hormone yoga proven?
So far, this all sounds very good without a doubt. If you are wondering whether hormone yoga really works, we have to disappoint you, at least in part. Although many women have already had positive experiences with it, there is unfortunately no scientific proof of its effectiveness.
There are studies that show that yoga can help the body to release less stress hormones such as cortisol. However, there is no evidence that special hormone yoga actually balances the hormone balance and stimulates the production of oestrogen, for example.
Why you should try yoga
Despite the lack of scientific evidence regarding the effects of hormone yoga on hormone balance, there is probably no question that yoga is basically a good thing for us women.
Especially if you tend to retreat to the couch or bed when you have PMS symptoms or period pains, the exercise will certainly do you good. Of course, this is also true if you're already going through the menopause and are experiencing symptoms like hot flushes.
So even if it's hard for you or you don't have much time, you should make it a habit to exercise regularly. Yoga is just one of the options you can choose from for your workout.
Our conclusion on hormone yoga
As you can see, hormone yoga, or yoga in general, can help you counteract the symptoms associated with your cycle.
Even though there is no scientific proof of the effectiveness of hormone yoga, there is no doubt that regular physical activity can have a positive effect on our well-being in many ways. So grab your yoga mat and give it a try.