Yoga and Your Period

Old school says women should forgo asana, and some pranayama, during their period, particularly those days when flow is heavy.

Growing up back in the 70's when the old taboos about girls playing sports and swimming during their periods were being debunked, and we were encouraged to ignore our periods and just carry on with business as usual. So when I first heard about the loose prohibition on practicing during my period - I ignored it. What quaint nonsense, I thought.

The idea that menstruation is a physical malady of sorts dates back to the dawn of time. Religious beliefs saw women as "unclean" during their periods and confined them to the "red tent" or their rooms. In the middle ages, women of the nobility where encouraged to "lie in" and just rest and bleed.

There is a certain amount of logic to the idea that a woman's period is taxing physically. The sudden shift in hormone levels and the loss of blood - for some women it can be quite a lot - can cause problems in terms of energy levels and hydration. The joints are looser and more easily over-stretched and damaged. Practicing at low ebb invites mental mistakes that could result in injury as well.

But in my rush to master the Ashtanga Primary, I clung to my feminist beliefs that one's period is simply a biological function that has minimal impact.

I am of a different mind today.

While I don't believe that menstruation is a debilitating liability that befuddles my ability to think or puts me at the mercy of my "hormone addled" emotions - sexist nonsense that - I do think that my body is in a state that requires me to be more mindful, slower and alert to its needs.

My practice is slower. I avoid big inversions and do more restorative. I have a care with my hips and knees especially, and I watch my fluid intake. I even take a day or two off just before my flow begins because I often experience hormone level drops that leave me feeling quite exhausted.

So what should a yogi do? Restorative. Forward bends. These are my go-to's. I also work on opening the shoulders and flexibility of feet and wrists. Below are two examples of possible sequences to practice during your cycle.