Should I Practice Hot Yoga During My Period?
Is it safe?
Doing yoga while on your period may seem like a nightmare.
You're in all these bizarre poses while wearing the tightest pants in the hottest room.
But is doing hot yoga while on your period really as bad as you think it is? Scroll below to find out!
What Is Hot Yoga?
Yoga is the practice of meditation, flexibility, and relaxation.
There are many different forms of yoga, one of them being hot yoga.
According to an article by Power Yoga, "It is a style of yoga that consists of 26 poses practiced for 90 minutes in a room heated to 105 degrees with 40 percent humidity."
Should You Do Hot Yoga on Your Period?
There are some arguments that yoga should be avoided all together during a woman's period, because of the intensity of some yoga practices and certain yoga poses. According to an article by Live Strong, yoga can improve period symptoms and make you "feel better".
"In a study of 40 women who participated in a regular yoga program once per week for 12 weeks, those who attended yoga versus the 20 in the control who did not, reported less pain and discomfort at the time of menstrual period."
Hot yoga can help reduce stress, even if you aren't on your period. The heated room can help relax tense muscles, alleviating any cramping or body pain during your period.
Woman are affected by their period differently and there are some that recommend avoiding inversions while on your period. Luckily, hot yoga does not include any inversion poses—although there is no proof that inversions can be dangerous during menstruation.
Yoga or hot yoga can help with your overall health, and specifically helping women with their menstrual cycle.
Things to Keep in Mind
Women are not discouraged from hot yoga while on their period, but there are things to keep in mind. The temperature of the room can intensify period symptoms like nausea and headaches, so it's important to stay hydrated before and after a hot yoga session.
If you are experiencing a heavier flow or dealing with severe period symptoms, modifying certain poses or a shorter session could help with your comfortability.
As always, be sure to consult your doctor about whether or not hot yoga is right for you during that time of the month.