Hormonal Imbalance: 5 Yoga Poses to Regulate Hormones

Try these easy and effective yoga poses at home if you suffer from hormonal imbalance

Hormones are chemicals in the body that help the body coordinate different functions by helping them carrying messages through your blood to your organs like skin, muscles and other tissues. Hormones are essential for normal functioning of the body.

According to MedicalNewsToday, there are about 50 hormones in the human body that contribute in homeostasis, metabolism, sexual function, reproduction, sleep wake cycle, and mood.

Hormonal imbalance mean that there are too little or too much of certain hormones that disrupt few functions and cause conditions that require treatment. But it is difficult to keep popping pills for hormonal balance thus people are asked to keep a check on their lifestyle and health to maintain optimal hormonal balance.

Yoga can be helpful for people who lead a sedentary lifestyle and inactivity is the the cause of the imbalance, Below are the five yoga poses that can help manage the symptoms of hormonal imbalance.

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 with 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 part way, 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. 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.

3. 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.

4. Camel Pose

The camel pose helps the front body stretch out and the parts involved include the chest, abdomen, and quadriceps. It helps flush out toxins from the body. Practice the pose like this:

Bend forwards to your knees and place your legs hip-width apart. Keep your hips over your knees, squeeze your thighs toward each other, and inhale while you engage your belly. Then reach your tailbone toward your knees and create a space between your lower vertebrae.

Inhale again while you lift your sternum and draw your elbows back, toward each other, behind you. Let the ribcage expand. The chest should be raised, the core engaged, and the chin tucked in. Press the heels of your hands into the heels of your feet while you drape your fingers over the soles. Lift your shoulders and let the trapezius muscles between the shoulder blades rise up and cushion the cervical spine. Extend the head and neck backward.

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.