Yoga For Menstrual Cramps [Comprehensive Guide]

Do you dread your monthly period? Unfortunately, I’m one of those many women who are stressed out just by the thought of my upcoming monthly period.  Every month, I go through a stressful cycle and experience extra painful menstrual cramps.  Although they say that a little pain during your period is normal, excessive pain isn’t.

Through the years, I have tried a lot of remedies to ease the pain when the Red Flag Day arrives – some worked, some didn’t.  If you’re looking for ways to relieve your monthly pain without taking pain medications, here are some tips that might help you experience a less stressful monthly period:

Exercise

I know you’ve heard this so many times, but mild exercise actually helps get rid of the cramps by increasing the blood flow in your body.  Note that exercising on a regular basis and not just on your period releases endorphins, your body’s natural painkillers.

Heat is your ally

Using a heat pad on your abdomen and your lower back relaxes your muscles and helps relieve the pain.  You can also try taking a hot bath to help soothe your muscles.

Stay away from alcohol and coffee

Alcohol is a diuretic and can worsen your menstrual cramps.  Caffeinated drinks constrict the blood vessels that can definitely aggravate the pain you’re feeling.

Watch your diet

Eat magnesium-packed foods.  Leafy greens contain magnesium, which is a natural muscle relaxant.  It helps by reducing the levels of prostaglandin that is involved in the menstrual pain. Other foods such as banana, kale, parsley, and pineapple offer a variety of nutrients that reduce monthly cramps.  Avoid salty foods as these can cause water retention and bloating, which will worsen your menstrual cramps.

Drink warm or hot water

Drinking water helps by increasing blood flow to the skin, which relaxes cramped muscles.  This may sound odd as you generally want to avoid water retention during menstruation, but drinking water actually keeps your body from retaining water, which prevents bloating.

Menstrual cramps can really be a nightmare to women.  These steps are basic remedies you can do at home to alleviate the pain.  However, note that if the pain you experience is severe, it’s important to consult with your doctor to make sure that what you’re suffering from isn’t something serious that needs medical attention.

Yoga for Menstrual Cramps: Yoga it Right!

Y ou have learned about the 5 simplest yoga moves that can relieve your pain. What you need to learn about next is the reminders about yoga. In fact, these reminders that we will discuss will be useful to just about any yoga move. And, if the time comes that you want yoga to be a regular part of your health and fitness routine, these tips will come in handy. So, presenting the helpful tips before, during, and after doing yoga for menstrual cramps!

Choose the room for you

Choose a quiet room, one that has enough light and ventilation. This is very important because yoga is all about correct breathing, concentration for body poses, and meditation. It’ll be no good if you cannot focus because the room is dark and noisy.

Remember: although you’ll only do this for menstrual cramps, you can also take the opportunity to reflect on the things happening in your life. This will fare well not only for your body but also for your mind and soul.

Wear comfy clothes

When you’ve menstrual pains, everything is distorted—time is running too slowly for your liking (it’s only been minutes, but it felt like hours), and one simple thing that’s amiss can set you off (like your sister singing). Wearing comfortable clothes during your performance of yoga can prevent you from exploding. On top of that, it’ll help you refine your poses, making yoga more effective.

Choose your instructor very carefully

Hold up! I’m not telling you to subscribe to yoga classes each time the pain attacks; after all, the point is for you to stay at home and tend to your aches peacefully. What it means is that, when choosing the instructional videos, make sure that you select trusted sources. Choose those videos that offer step-by-step instructions, and if you can find one, select those made by certified yoga instructors. Yes, yoga may be trivial, but doing it the right way adds credibility and worth to the time you spend.

No too heavy meals before yoga

Yoga is the same as other fitness routines, so you’re not allowed to workout with a full tummy. If you can afford it, try having before-breakfast yoga (just sip a cup of coffee to awaken your nerves). If you’re not an early-morning kind of girl, wait until the meal you’ve eaten has subsided. Perhaps it’ll be four hours after each meal.

Be patient

If you’re new to yoga for menstrual cramps (or to yoga in general), there will be poses that will be hard to follow. This is especially true if the pain you’re feeling is too bad that you can barely move. Start small (poses like the one included in the previous article) because as you do, you build your momentum and patience.

Other important reminders:

1. Rest and give yourself a pat on the back after successfully doing yoga for menstrual cramps. You can also take a break after each pose.
2. Don’t forget to breathe—when you’re too focused, breathing is forgotten. Don’t do that.
3. Relax – the goal of yoga is to soothe you, not stress you out. So relax your body, avoid getting stiff, and smile. Don’t look at the mirror, though, because that’s distracting.
4. Don’t push through if it’s painful – if things become especially uncomfortable to the point when pain is felt, change the pose to something easier.
5. Invest on a really good yoga mat. This helps prevent injury.

Now, you’re well-equipped, are you ready to try yoga for menstrual cramps?

Yoga: A Trump Card For Your Menstrual Cramps

There’s a reason why people (particularly, girls) are going gaga over yoga. In fact, there are a lot of reasons why. Before going into the details of why yoga is in demand, let us first define it. Yoga is a Hindu discipline that involves meditation, controlled breathing, and measured body movements or postures. At first glance of its definition, it’ll look like a highly trivial and insignificant thing. However, yoga is a deep process that can benefit both mind and body. Take note that it’s a discipline— so it’s no surprise that people do yoga regularly. However, people also resort to yoga when things get rough, let’s say once a month. Yes. There’s also the infamous yoga for menstrual cramps.

Yoga for menstrual cramps isn’t that very different from the generalized yoga, only that specific moves that target the back and lower abs are performed. If you feel like doing yoga is too much, you might change your mind once you’ve learned about the perks of doing it. Here are some of the most common (and most loved) benefits of yoga for menstrual cramps (well, aside from relieving the monthly pain):

Yoga can also help with your sleepy time dilemma

A lot of people who are suffering from insomnia usually get frustrated about “how to solve” their problems without resorting to medications night after night. Great news! Yoga can help improve your sleep deprivation. It’s recommended for you to perform yoga poses a few times in one week.

It can improve your stance

Your posture is a big asset in your beauty. Yoga has a way of improving your posture because it works by stretching the spine and muscles. On top of that, it also strengthens your core, which will generally improve your balance. Just imagine—a few weeks of yoga and you’ll be standing tall and pretty.

Yoga for menstrual cramps can handle your stress

And believe it or not, yoga can handle it with grace. Since this Hindu discipline requires the cooperation of your mind and body, it has the power to drive away the negativities lingering in your thoughts—that includes stress. However, you might want to consider doing yoga regularly for this to be very effective.

Shedding pounds

If you’re the mellow kind of girl, but you still want to lose weight without the sweat presented in heavy-clad gyms, yoga just may be your newest friend. Not only will it shed the extra pounds, but it’ll also help you keep returning to your slightly-bigger self. Why not download yoga videos and start a class today? Then, maintain it by performing yoga at least twice or thrice a week.

Shaping up

Of course, after losing all the extra weight, you need to shape up. And to be able to do that, you’ve to develop your lean muscles. What you’ll do is eat high-protein diet and exercise. Did you know that yoga for menstrual cramps can help you tone up? That includes your tummy, legs, and arms!

Be as sharp as a tack

It has been duly noted by a lot of people that when yoga is made a regular discipline, their minds became sharper and their memory improved. Even recent and modern studies appear to state that yoga can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. This is especially good for people who need their wits in their careers.

Yoga for menstrual cramps isn’t just what the name suggests. It has a lot of benefits that can empower your mind, body, and soul. So the next time you feel the stabbing pain in your lower abs and back because it’s the time of the month again—start up your PC and do some yoga poses.

Yoga: The (Monthly) Period To Your Menstrual Cramps

Dysmenorrhea – the bane of a woman’s existence when her monthly period arrives. It may be well and good if the pains you feel satisfy ALL of these criteria:

• It’s mild, not the tear-inducing kind.
• It happens on an “ordinary” day – ordinary here means you don’t have somewhere to be; you’re free to stay at home.
• The pain stays for just a few seconds… okay, that’s too much to ask, maybe it’ll last for only an hour.

Sadly, menstrual cramps don’t satisfy any of that. Nobody will blame you if you sometimes think that fate (or your body, really) is playing with you. Because some menstrual cramps are like this:

• It’s so very painful. As in overly so. So much that you cannot move and you just stay in bed bawling your eyes out.
• It happens on a very important day—a date with your crush, a sports fest, or an event where you’ll have to be all smiles.
• The pain feels like it stays with you forever (slight exaggeration)

There may be medications available, but what if you’re one of those girls who don’t take kindly to a monthly dose of pain relievers? Will you continue to endure the irritating and tear-inducing pain?

Don’t!

Why not try yoga? It’s quickly becoming famous because it’s effective, and it won’t cause you any harm, unlike medications that you can gain immunity to.

Yoga for menstrual cramps isn’t to be mistaken as typical yoga – there are specific pain-relieving moves that you need to follow.

Here some of the most common yoga moves that you can perform at home. Don’t forget to bring out your yoga mat!

Head to knee bend forward

Is a little hard for those suffering extreme pain, so you can take as much time as you need.

Start by sitting up on the floor, or bed if you can’t get up. Extend both your legs in front of you and then slowly bend your right knee, putting your right foot in your left inner thigh. Now, bend your body and take hold of your left foot. To decrease the pain, inhale through your nose. Exhale through your mouth while returning to the original position.

The benefits of this yoga pose:

Exercises the spine- good for those back pains you also experience along with lower-abs pain.

Lifts up your mood because it relaxes the brain. It’s also good for headaches and dizziness.

Camel Pose

Is quite easier than the first one, so people experiencing extreme pain can tolerate this.

To begin this pose, kneel on the floor; your knees should be hip-width in distance. Take a few deep breaths before bending your body backward until you can reach your feet. Stay in that position for half a minute, or a full minute if you can hold it for that long.

The benefits of this yoga move (aside from relieving menstrual cramps) are as follows:

• Stretches the muscles in the front torso, thereby strengthening it.
• In the process, the spine is also worked out—it can relieve back pain.
• It strengthens the hip muscles, which is good for balance.
• Like the previous movement, it can lift the mood and heal your anxiety.

Before starting out these yoga moves, make sure that you’ve stretched! Stretching is important to prepare your muscles.

Next month (or this month), you can try these yoga poses and see for yourself. You may even start saying goodbye to pain relievers! Not only is it good to heal your lower abs and back pain, but it can also improve your sullen mood.

Let’s face it.  Every woman’s nightmare can be summed up into the dark and gloomy days of her menstrual period.  I know a lot of women who dread getting their periods because that simply means they will definitely have to go through bouts of painful cramps and mood swings.  I can totally relate to that.  For years, I have suffered from dysmenorrhea and have popped pain killers just to get me out of that crazy painful zone.  Little did I know that the more I take pills, the more that my body gets used to the effects.  And so over time, I had to increase the dosage for me to actually feel relieved from the pain I feel.  Sure, that suppressed the pain, but pain killers are meant to kill the pain. Period.  It didn’t keep the pain from coming back on my next cycle.  And it certainly didn’t solve the real problem and what is causing me to have menstrual cramps or dysmenorrhea.

The anxiety that my monthly period gives stopped when I started doing yoga.  I have never tried yoga or doing any sort of exercises to relieve my menstrual cramps.  I have always done the pills and that’s about it.  But when I finally realized how effective yoga can be, I knew those horror days were gone.  Are you ready to say goodbye to those days, too?

Yoga for Menstrual Cramps

Yoga is a practice that is geared toward helping you achieve a healthy physical and mental state.  It’s considered today as one of the side effects-free alternatives to relieving pain when practiced correctly.  Because yoga aims to strengthen the body and at the same time calm the mind, your body is empowered to have a stronger resistance against pain.  This is exactly why yoga works for women.  If you’re willing to do yoga and relieve yourself of the pain that you always have to endure month after month, then here are some simple yoga poses.

One-legged forward bend

This yoga pose helps alleviate the pain by massaging the abdominal region of your body and stretching your lower back. Start by sitting up with legs stretched forward.  Keep your back straight.  Now bend your left foot and gently position it against your right thigh.  Breathe in and stretch up by raising your arms above your head.  Breathe out and gently bend forward until you reach (or almost reach) your toes.  Remember to keep your spine straight.  Hold the position for a few seconds and breathe in and out while you gently come up.  Do the same routine on the other side.

Child’s pose

Suffering from lower back pain during every period?  Here’s a very easy yoga pose for your menstrual cramps and lower back pain.  Start by kneeling down and lowering your buttocks toward the floor or your heels.  Breathe in and sit up straight with your arms stretched up.  While slowly breathing out, stretch your body forward until you’ve your forehead rested on the floor or your mat.  Hold the position as long as you can while making sure you breathe in and out properly.  Gently pull yourself up using your arms and sit back to your original position.

What are you waiting for?  Start doing yoga today and you’ll never regret it.

The Healing Benefits of Yoga for Menstrual Cramps

D o you dread the pain and the stress that your menstrual cycle brings you on a monthly basis?  Are you tired of popping pain pills in your mouth every time you experience menstrual cramps in your period?  I’m sure most women would rather go for something more natural and safe than taking medication that will eventually stop working for you in the long run.  So, if you’re looking for something that will bring to an end to your monthly dilemma, I recommend doing yoga.

Yoga has a reputation for providing a gentle method of relieving physical pain and mental stress.  Although yoga isn’t used to treat specific kinds of diseases, it actually makes use of anextensive holistic approach that targetsa healthy lifestyle, overall wellness, and even a positive way of thinking.  There are healing effects of yoga that have been proven and clinically verified.  In fact, certain yoga poses have proven to be very effective in dealing with the pain of menstrual cramps and getting rid of it altogether.

During your menstrual cycle, your body becomes tremendously sensitive to everything around you.  Your raging hormones allow you to pick up scents a lot better as compared to your normal days.  You get easily irritated by things that don’t usually bother you.  And when you start cramping or feeling painful sensations in your abdomen area and other painful occurrences such as headaches, body pains, and the like, this is the body’s way of telling you that there may be something wrong.

This is when yoga becomes a powerful tool to help ease the pain and make it go away.  Here are some amazing benefits you can get from yoga.  Whether you’re doing yoga for menstrual cramps or just for your daily health and fitness routine, these benefits are going to do you and your body a huge favor.

Calms and Relaxes

If there’s one thing you would like to feel when your insides are bursting with mixed and negative emotions, it’s to feel mentally calm.  It sounds like an impossible feat to do, especially with your uber sensitive body, but it’s definitely doable through yoga. There are breathing and stretching poses that calm your mind and help remove any kind of stress you have.  If you’re looking for a mood stabilizer, yoga can do just that for you.

Improves Blood Circulation

You must have already heard about stagnant blood that doesn’t get distributed, which causes your cramping.  This can be addressed by doing yoga.  What it does is it removes any kind of congestion and improves circulation around the abdominal and spinal region, which will greatly alleviate the body pains and cramping that plague you during your period.

Relieves Pain

Yoga poses for menstrual cramps will definitely relieve you of pain that constantly haunts you.  You see, there are certain poses that tone and massage different regions in your body, thereby relieving your body of pain and stress.  Moreover, yoga can also massage other organs in your body and make them work at their best.

These are just but a few of the healing powers of doing yoga.  Yoga together with healthy eating habits and a healthy lifestyle can definitely bring the life back to your dark and painful periods.

Yoga for Menstrual Cramps: Simple Yoga Moves that Move the Pain Away

Yoga has long been acknowledged by many before (mostly women) because they are famous for bringing out wellness, peace of mind, and even weight loss. However, did you know that yoga is also performed to stop the irksome dysmenorrhea? Yes. There are a lot of poses and moves that can be considered as yoga for menstrual cramps. Some of them are complicated, made for when the pain you’re feeling is just mild (it is there, but it’s only irritating more than excruciating), while others are simple, perfect for when the pain almost makes you immobile.

Today, we will discuss these simple yoga moves and poses.

Reclining Bound Angle

Reclining bound angle is perfect for women who cannot get out of bed due to extreme pain. The pose is very simple: just lie on your back (you can support your head and neck with a small pillow or a rolled blanket). Now, press both your feet together. This means that your thighs are spread wide, and, together with your legs, they form a diamond shape. Your hands should be over your head, holding each other. Hold this pose for 10 minutes.

Supported Shoulder Stand

Another simple yoga move is the supported shoulder stand. While this pose may be a little more difficult, it’s still quite simple compared to other yoga moves. Start with a lying down position, with your hips supported by a few pillows. Curl your pelvis and tummy away from the floor, as close to your front as possible (do it until your knees are close to your face). Now, place your hands on your hips and slowly lift it, keeping your toes pointed downward. Hold the position for only 30 seconds, and repeat if necessary.

Deep Diamond Pose

This is perhaps one of the simplest yoga poses. In fact, you’ll often see the diamond pose during a simple yoga class. Start by sitting down on the floor, and get your feet to touch each other (your lower limbs will form a diamond shape). Remember to keep the side of your knees close to the floor. Now, bring your hands together in a prayer position. Keep your back straight and slowly breathe in and out. Do it for as long as you’re comfortable with.

Front Side Fetal Position

This yoga pose is also called Curling Up in Child Pose. All you need to do is sit down with your legs under your thighs and your feet directly underneath your butt (this is also the way the Japanese sit). Slowly lower your upper body until your chest is resting on your knees. Lay the side of your head on the floor and keep your arms at your sides. Stay in that position for a few minutes before sitting gain.

Cat Pose

Who hasn’t heard of the famous cat pose? You surely have, but did you know that it’s also one of the yoga moves for menstrual cramps? The instructions to achieve this pose are simple: get down on all fours (hands and knees) and then curl your back in while your head sticks out. Reverse it by curling your back out and moving your head downward. This exercise relaxes your back and tummy.

Now that you know 5 of the most basic yoga moves, you don’t have to depend on messy remedies (warm compress when you don’t have the heating pad), or medications. It’s nice to know that you can relieve your pain without using anything other than your body.

So, on your next bout of menstrual cramps, try these soothing yoga poses! You’ll find that it’s nice to be fit even when you’re (literally) bleeding!

Pain-Free Period with Yoga for Menstrual Cramps

Did anybody tell you that menstrual periods don’t necessarily have to be painful?  A woman’s menstrual cycle is normal – that is for sure.  But when you’ve regular menstrual cramps and dysmenorrhea, that becomes a different story.  Now let’s start by making this clear – your painful period is a sign of something not normal in your body.

Whatever it’s may be different for each woman, but it certainly means it needs to be addressed.  And while pain killers make the pain go away, these pills don’t really resolve any of the causes.  If you need to completely get rid of PMS and menstrual pains, then doing yoga may be the healthier and safer option for you.  You see, some yoga poses, specifically those gentle poses that are meant to relieve stress, alleviate pain, and maintain a calm mood, will work best during your menstruation.

Yoga, especially those poses that are gentle and relaxing, will help a great deal in alleviating discomfort during your period.  However, regular practice of yoga can help you bid goodbye to the period pains permanently.  So ladies, if it’s that time of the month, let’s forget about your monthly dread and get ready to get in touch with the inner world.  Here are some amazing yoga poses for menstrual cramps that really work.

Fish Pose

Also known as Matsyasana, this yoga pose works by stretching the back and stimulating the abdomen and belly muscles.  This massages the abdominal and pelvic regions, which in turn relieves the pain during menstruation.  When done on a regular basis, this pose can also help relieve tension around the shoulders and neck area and promotes respiratory health through deep breathing.  Now this posture isn’t recommended for people with high or low blood pressure, insomnia, migraines, or back or neck injuries.

Bow Pose

The bow pose, or otherwise known as Dhanurasana, is also an effective yoga asana for menstrual cramps. It strengthens your back and your abdominal muscles, which make them work better at combating any kind of pain you feel during your period.  This also stimulates reproductive organs, helps release stress and fatigue, improves flexibility, and tones your arms and your legs.  If you’re wondering where it got its name, this yoga pose is named after the bow shape it takes.

Butterfly Pose

If you’re looking for a pose that helps stretch your aching thighs while relieving some menstrual cramps and stimulating your reproductive and digestive organs, this yoga pose will work for you.  In fact, this is an excellent posture that helps reduce any kind of discomfort brought about by your monthly period.  With regular practice of this pose, you’re sure to say hello to better-functioning ovaries, kidneys, prostate glands, and bladder.

While yoga is a perfect alternative to treat your monthly ordeal with pain and anxiety, this doesn’t mean that you can neglect other important aspects of your life.  Yoga works best in giving you a pain-free period when done regularly while observing healthy eating habits, a daily dose of exercise, and of course adequate rest and relaxation.

Red Alert! Yoga Arrests Your Menstrual Cramps!

In the midst of frustration (and literally, blood), two very unlikely things unite to make women more at ease when that time of the month comes yet again. Menstruation – a monthly, complex cycle occurring within the female body once she reaches puberty. Its presence is made known when the vagina discharges blood and other tissues.

Furthermore, along the process, the woman is bound to experience hormonal changes that make her moody (especially according to boys), and what’s worse is they also experience pain of varying intensity known dearly as menstrual cramps (this makes them even more moody, once again, according to boys). The only time menstruation will cease is once the woman reaches menopause.

Yoga – another complex thing, although this time, it’s a healing discipline. This is a combination of doing the correct breathing, posture, pose, and meditation. The goal of yoga is to improve a person’s health and overall wellbeing, thus, the birth of yoga for menstrual cramps.

Question: There are a lot of remedies for lower abs and back pain brought about by menstruation, so why opt for yoga?

It’s true—there are a lot of things a woman can do to ease the pain of menstruation (also called dysmenorrhea), so why do they choose yoga for menstrual cramps? Before answering that, let’s first take a look at the most common remedies a woman resorts to monthly when pain interferes with her life.

• Heat application or warm compress – this one is effective, but it’ll be messy when you don’t have the convenience of a heating pad. It will also require you to lie down and wait for the pain to subside.
• Chamomile tea – although people suggest that drinking chamomile tea helps relieve pain, not a lot of people can get a hold of chamomile, and not all of those who drank it can testify that it worked.
• Take a pain reliever – perhaps the most sought after solution when it comes to pain because of the quickness in effect and the lack of messy factor. Could you imagine taking pain meds month after month? You’re bound to develop an immunity, and the next thing you know, you’ll need a more potent analgesic.

Now, is it clearer why women go for yoga for menstrual cramps? Let’s make it even clearer by listing down yoga’s perks and benefits that heating pads, chamomile tea, and analgesics lack.

• Yoga keeps you active—yes, it’s not the kind of activity you get in a gym where you’ll need to carry dumbbells, but yoga ensures that you stay fit even on those moments when you’re bleeding (as ghastly as it sounds). In fact, the low impact of yoga is good for those who enjoy peace and quite, not sweat and weights.
• A form of bonding – yoga can be performed with your girlfriends. So, yes, you might not want to go out because it’s awkward to have fun while you’re in pain, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot enjoy a different, healthier form of bonding.
• Simple, and easy, and no hassle – what you need is just a yoga mat (you can even use your clean carpet) and an instructional video that can be downloaded free from the internet. That’s it. You don’t need to buy medications, a heating pad, or chamomile tea.
• Progressing results – unlike medications, chamomile tea, and heating pads, the results of yoga are progressive. Meaning, after weeks and weeks of yoga, you’ll notice that you’re feeling little to no pain. It means that it works from within, not just treating the symptoms.

So, what can you say? Yoga is amazing! Sure, home remedies for dysmenorrhea still rock, but yoga has loads of benefits that come with it!

Get Rid of Menstrual Cramps Naturally

It’s quite funny how I both look forward to and dread the arrival of my period at the same time. I look forward to it because its arrival means that I won’t be having a baby any time soon (which is more than okay with my current lifestyle), but I also dread its coming because I know that I will be dealing with the pain and discomfort once again.

Every woman at some point in her life has surely experienced the pain and discomfort of dysmenorrhea, which is commonly known as menstrual cramps, though the level of the pain and discomfort varies for each one. In my case, my menstrual cramps are very nasty, especially because my period usually lasts for five to seven days. I don’t know the medical explanation for this, but whenever I’m suffering from dysmenorrhea during the first and second days of my period, I also suffer from stomach pains due to my gastritis.

I’m not sure if the two are connected, but what I’m sure of is that it’s so painful that I think I’m going to die from it. I’m so sick of its interference with my daily activities. I’m so tired of writhing and curling on the bed in pain, and I’m so weary of always relying on pain relievers. I have to get rid of my dysmenorrhea now, or else I’ll go crazy over fretting about it.

1. Heat Therapy

Thank God for heat pads, because they really provide an instant relief to the throbbing pain in my abdomen. Using a heat pad can sooth the strained muscles in the abdomen and can also instantly relieve us from menstrual cramps. A hot bath can also provide the same wonders.

Aside from using a heat pad, I also use the technique that my mom taught me during my puberty days. This includes putting warm water in a bottle and then rolling it over your lower abdomen. The heat from the bottle plus the pressure from rolling it can massage those strained muscles and also provide an instant relief to the pain. 

2. Tea-time

Instead of drinking coffee and other caffeinated drinks, drink tea instead, especially those that are caffeine-free. Herbal teas and green teas have been said to have natural medicinal properties, and one of these is relieving menstrual cramps.

Aside from soothing the pain, it also helps to keep us more relaxed, thereby also keeping us from having mood swings. Aside from drinking tea, drinking your eight glasses of water every day also keeps the dysmenorrhea away.

3. Take your multivitamins

Always make sure that you’re taking vitamins every day, especially the week before and after your period because it can help lessen your menstrual cramps. Make sure that you’re taking enough amounts of Magnesium and Calcium because the two are important in the proper functioning of the muscles. A balance of both keeps us from having muscle tension and irritability, which causes menstrual cramps during our period.

In my case, I also have to take an Iron supplement because I have a low level of Iron in my body, and unfortunately, I also have a heavy period. Taking Iron supplements can keep me from having Iron deficiency anemia even if I have a heavy period and can also help my body produce more hemoglobin.

4. Exercise

Exercise is one of the best and most natural ways to stay fit and healthy. In relation to menstrual cramps and pain, a lot of studies have showed and established that regular exercise (specifically those lower-body exercises) can help lessen menstrual pain. Exercise helps the body produce more endorphins that lessen the pain. It also boosts the blood circulation in our bodies, as well as increases the blood supply to our uterine muscles.

I’m really not a fan of exercising, but when I started to endure it just for the sake of not having to suffer dysmenorrhea again, bit by bit, the menstrual cramps have lessened, and after many months, dysmenorrhea hasn’t been a problem for me anymore.

I’ve already tried a lot of medicines and pain relievers just to relieve myself from the pain of having menstrual cramps, but those medicines just provided a temporary relief for me. But when I tried these natural methods, the menstrual pains that I have endured before are now gone forever. Gone were the days where I had to writhe in pain or crawl in my bed; now I can finally enjoy my usual activities, even if it’s during my red days.