Restorative yoga is a gentle, nurturing practice that brings deep relaxation and supports women throughout every phase of the menstrual cycle. During menstruation, restorative yoga can soothe cramps, ease back pain, and help balance emotions by calming the nervous system. Gentle supported poses promote healthy blood flow to the pelvic area, reduce abdominal tension, and help you reconnect with your body, providing relief from discomfort and fatigue.
Restorative yoga is especially valuable for women, providing support and healing throughout the entire menstrual cycle, during times of stress, and while preparing for conception. Recently, restorative yoga has become one of my favourite ways to unwind, recharge, and nurture hormonal health.
This yoga style is built around gentle, supported postures that encourage deep relaxation and activate the parasympathetic nervous system. It’s a yoga practice which is calming and helps regulate hormonal balance.
Restorative Yoga During Your Cycle
Follicular phase:
Your energy increases, while restorative yoga helps you to stay grounded, connected, and hormonally balanced. It boosts your creativity and motivation.
Ovulation:
For those preparing for pregnancy, restorative yoga lowers cortisol levels, invites deep release, and supports an optimal environment for conception.
Luteal phase:
This practice supports hormonal health, calms irritability, and provides emotional resilience, while encouraging the release of endorphins.
Menstruation:
Restorative yoga is particularly beneficial for alleviating cramps, lower back pain, and feelings of fatigue. The focus on supported poses allows the body to release tension and encourages pelvic circulation.
Here’s a selection of restorative asanas to include in your cycle-aware practice:
- Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose / Recline Butterfly supported with props and elevated upper body): Opens the pelvis, calms the nervous system, and promotes circulation to the reproductive organs.
- Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall; variations with props; modalities with pelvis elevated): Relieves cramps, enhances pelvic circulation, and deeply calms the mind.
- Balasana (Child’s Pose supported with a bolster): Grounds and calms, releasing tension in the lower back.
- Supported Upavistha Konasana (Wide legged Forward Bend seated with bolster of chair): Stabilizes the flow of energy in the pelvic area and supports hormonal balance.
- Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose supported with props): Supports the thyroid, balances metabolism, and relieves lower back stress.
- Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose with bolster or chair): Eases contractions and soreness in the abdomen, especially when supported with props.
- Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend with bolster or chair): Calms the nervous system and stretches the spine.
- Malasana (Garland Pose / Squat with support of block or cushion): Opens the pelvis and lengthens the spine.
- Savasana (Corpse Pose with a bolster under the knees and head support): Encourages complete relaxation and mind-body integration.
Regular restorative practice is a proven way to reduce stress and support mental clarity. By focusing on long-held, supported postures combined with mindful breathing, restorative yoga invites the body to move from tension into ease. This state is essential for both hormonal harmony and fertility, providing a nurturing environment for conscious conception.
Restorative yoga is not about flexibility; it’s about release. The difference with Yin yoga or other yoga styles is that in Restorative yoga we are looking for comfort and ease, not for stretch. Each practice invites you to let go of tension, nurture yourself, and find stillness within. Whether you’re on your period, moving through another cycle phase, or preparing for pregnancy, restorative yoga is a gentle reminder that rest is powerful – and essential for every woman’s well-being.
Restorative yoga has become my top choice for releasing stress, rebalancing hormones, and supporting fertility and menstrual health. These gentle, restful asanas are perfect for reconnecting with your body, creating space for healing, and embracing all phases of womanhood.
“Rest is powerful. Restore yourself with kindness—your body will thank you.”
Book your free discovery call and find more about Restorative yoga and Yoga Therapy for your own unique needs.
