Are you going through menopause? Do you get hot flushes due to menopause? If you are a woman with menopause, here are the top 5 asanas that might help you relieve its symptoms.

Menopause is the time when women’s periods stop naturally. It mostly happens between the age of 45 to 55 when ovaries produce fewer reproductive hormones due to aging.

Women reaching the age of menopause start experiencing irregular periods, hot flushes, sweating, chills, mood swings, weight gain, hair loss, and others.

You can not run away from this phase of life, but you can manage it well with healthy lifestyle changes.

As per Ayurveda, it is essential to follow Vata pacifying diet like warm, light, well-cooked, and unctuous food items like homemade ghee. Avoid dry, cold, fermented food, refined sugar, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks. 

On the other hand, you must also give equal importance to lifestyle changes. So, practice abhyanga (oil massage), maintain the sleep-wake cycle, and adopt yoga asanas to help you balance your Vata dosha.

Here are the top 5 asanas that can help you manage menopause:

1. Supta Badhha Konasana (Reclining bound angle pose): 

It helps to decrease the tension in the muscle & body and relieves fatigue. As a result, it improves energy levels, reduces stress, and menopause symptoms.

How to practice?

Lie straight on the mat with your chest facing the roof. Now relax your shoulders, keep your hands next to the hips, palms pressing the mat, bend your knees, and bring the soles of your feet together to touch. Breath deeply and slowly, and stay in this pose for a minute. Slowly come back to the straight lying position.

2. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge pose)

It helps to stretch and tone the neck, spine, and chest region. Practicing it regularly helps to calm and relax you. As a result, it reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. 

This Asana also helps to manage high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and maintain a good sleep cycle, and is beneficial for women going through menopause.

How to practice?

Firstly lie down on your back, bringing your heel as close as possible to your hips. Now hold your ankles, inhale a deep breath, and lift your hips all the way up. Stay in this pose for a couple of deep breaths. Lastly, exhale and release the posture. Gently put your hips down and relax in Shavasana. 

4. Janu Sirsasana (Head to Knee pose)

This Asana is beneficial for stretching the spine, shoulder, and groin area. As a result, it reduces the stiffness and pain around the waist and legs. It also helps to relieve the symptoms of menopause. 

It calms the brain and helps to manage depression which can be seen in many women going through menopause. 

How to practice?

Firstly, sit on a mat and extend the left leg out in front of you. Now bend the right foot, so your heel is placed at the junction of your thigh and hip. Keep your left foot’s toe pointing inwards, your back straight, and your chest open. Finally, inhale and raise both your arms up, extending the spine further, and as you exhale, hinge forward, come down from the hip and try to touch your chin or head to the left knee, and hold for five deep breaths. Then inhale and raise both your arms up, exhale and release. Repeat the same on the other side too. 

5. Adho Mukha Shavasana (Downward-facing dog)

This Asana helps to alleviate the symptoms of menopause. It helps to improve the brain’s blood circulation, ultimately calming you down.  

It also stretches the upper back, legs, arms, and prevents bone-related problems. It also helps to reduce irritability and anxiety, which can be seen in many women with menopause. 

How to practice?

Firstly, sit in a kneeling position, tuck your toes, place your palms on the mat with fingers wide open. Now lift your knees and hips. Then inhale, press your hips towards the roof, straighten and lengthen your spine, straighten your legs and engage your belly. Stay in this pose for three deep breaths. Finally, bring your knees down gently and rest in a Child’s pose for some time.   

All the Asanas mentioned here are beneficial in relieving stress, anxiety, depression, and dealing with the symptoms of menopause. Most of these Asanas help stretch the spine, shoulder, neck, and groin area. Ultimately, it strengthens the body and improves flexibility. 

It is an educational article, so please practice all these Asanas under the guidance of a Yoga teacher. We all have different flexibility levels, and our requirements are different too according to age, so always practice it under the Yoga teacher’s supervision.