5 Yoga Poses to Regulate Hormones in Winter

Try these easy and effective yoga poses at home to regulate hormones

There are different hormone-producing glands in our body and together they make the endocrine system. The hormones are essential for almost every function in the body, including the maintenance of energy levels, metabolism, sexual function, mood, growth, and development.

Hormonal imbalance in the body can develop a wide variety of symptoms like headaches, skin issues, insomnia, fatigue, sudden weight gain or weight loss, and muscle loss. Hormonal imbalance in women results in irregularities in the menstrual cycle and changes in blood flow.

We know that hormonal imbalance can be challenging and it becomes difficult to manage the symptoms thus we are here with a few yoga poses that can be helpful and have no side effects like various other treatments and medications.

1. Cobra Pose 

This stretches your abdomen, chest, and shoulders. It strengthens your spine and may soothe sciatica. It helps the muscle groups: hamstrings, gluteus maximus, deltoids, triceps, and serratus anterior. It also helps manage stress.

Follow the steps:

• Lie on your stomach and place your hands under your shoulders and your fingers facing forward.

• Draw your arms to your chest and your elbows should not go out to the side.

• Press into your hands and slowly lift your head, chest, and shoulders.

• Lift partway, halfway, or all the way up.

• Slightly bend your elbows.

• Let your head drop back to deepen the pose.

• Release back down to your mat and breathe out.

• Bring your arms by your side and rest your head.

• Slowly move your hips from side to side to release tension.

2. Locust Pose

Locust Pose has proved to improve posture and is effective in situations of prolonged sitting and computer work. It may help relieve lower back pain, and neck pain as well. It can counteract slouching and kyphosis (abnormal curvature of the spine) while strengthening your back muscles, especially the muscles supporting your spine.

1. Lay on your belly with your feet together and your hands reaching back, your palms should be placed down.

2. Try extending your big toes straight back and pressing down with all ten toenails to activate your quadriceps.

3. Rotate your inner thighs to broaden your lower back.

4. Place your hands on the mat, raise your head and chest and your legs, leading with your inner thighs.

5. Roll your shoulders back and up away from the floor. Keep the back of your neck long and try lifting your sternum instead of lifting your chin.

6. Slowly release if you want to come out of the pose.

3. Bridge Pose 

The bridge pose helps regulate blood pressure. It calms the brain and alleviates stress. It is beneficial in managing mild depression and is good for abdominal organs, lungs, menstrual pain, fatigue, headache, and anxiety as well.

• Lie on your back, place your hands at your sides, bend your knees, and your feet should be flat on the floor close to your butt.

• Press into your feet while you lift your hips and torso to create a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.

• Hold the pose for up to 30 seconds, then lower your hips to the floor.

4. Cat-Cow Pose 

The cat-cow pose is a gentle, simple pose that includes backbend stretches and helps mobilize the spine. This pose helps stretch your torso, shoulders, and neck.

This yoga pose focuses on various muscle groups like erector spinae, rectus abdominis, triceps, serratus anterior, and gluteus maximus.

You can follow these steps:

• Go on all fours.

• Your wrists go underneath your shoulders, and your knees will be placed underneath your hips.

• Make sure you balance your weight evenly on all fours.

• Breathe in and look up, let your stomach drop down toward the mat

• Breathe out and tuck your chin into your chest, draw your navel toward your spine, and your spine should be arched towards the ceiling.

• Maintain focus while you practice this pose.

• Focus on releasing tension in your body.

• Hold the pose for at least 1 minute.

5. Child's Pose 

The child's pose may be helpful for your hips and back, relaxing them and allowing them to stretch. In this pose, you will have to kneel and sit on your knees.

Lean forward while keeping your buttocks on your heels, and rest your forehead on the floor. Place your arms next to your legs, palms facing up. Try to inhale and exhale slowly and deeply. Complete at least eight breaths.

If you find it difficult to rest your forehead on the floor, give this a try. Kneel and sit on your knees with your knees slightly apart. Lean forward and fold your arms in front of you on the floor. Now rest your forehead on your arms and continue inhaling and exhaling.