For most of us, menstruation is one of the most stressful times of the month. One day your are on top of your task list and killing it, the next you are overwhelmed and cranky! People who are around you know that roughly every 28 days, you could be brining a slew of emotions that can completely take you off guard, causing your loved ones to take the brunt of the impact.
While most women down a pill or two, or six, to deal with the pain and discomfort caused by menstruation, I like to go for a more natural and longer lasting method of stress relief.
Today we’re taking a look at a few simple, yet powerful, natural stress relief tips you can use now or during your next cycle.
Sit in a Sauna or Steam Room
If you don’t have access to a gym or steam room, make your own by simply turning on your shower to as hot as you can handle and close the bathroom door. Allow the hot air to consume you as you breathe slow and deep. Again, breathing deeply is a powerful and important part of de-stressing any time of the month—but even more so during menstruation. If you are feeling emotionally taxed or even angry, use this, short and simple way to center yourself and control your emotions.
Tune into Your Body
So many of us allow our bodies to take control and scream and cry uncontrollably during this time of the month. Listen ladies, we don’t have to keep accepting this as the normal. We can find more natural stress relief simply by tuning into to how we feel. Often our bodies literally scream at us because we’ve ignored them all month long. By making a practice of tuning in at every stage of our cycle, we can find the beauty in this special time of month. Ask yourself, what did you need to do for yourself this month that you did not make time for? You have to fit your oxygen mask first mumma!
Stick with Your Routines
It’s easy to toss aside all the beneficial habits you’ve formed over the month and curl up in your pjs and eat a whole box of chocolates during your period cycle. If you absolutely have to, fine, just don’t create it to be a habit. Your regular routines are what ground you. Perhaps just scale back the amount of work you’ve been doing or go from rigorous morning exercise to Breathing Practices, Yoga or walking instead. You must not give up the routines that keep you balanced. Plan ahead if you can so you can take it easy during this time or it will cause you more stress. If you absolutely cannot make some time for yourself, then I recommend you take at least 10 minutes to do the exercises below. This is also an excellent routine to add to your daily regime!
Staying true to yourself and your habits gives you a strong foundation, which directly effects your period cycles. Remember that you are powerful. That is why it is SO important to redirect this energy in a way that benefits the life you want to create. You also need to stay balanced by honoring and nurturing who AND where you are in your journey.
By embracing the moment and creating balance, you will find the relief that keeps unpredictable emotions at bay.
Exercises To Do For Cramps and Crankiness
(10 Minutes is all you need!)
Warm Up
Sitting cross-legged, stretch both hands up and grab one wrist. Take a deep belly breath in filling up your lungs from the bottom up. With full lungs pull your wrist UP and to the OPPOSITE side feeling the tiny muscles around your lungs stretching. Release the breath and go deeper into the stretch. Be gentle with your body only go as far as you feel comfortable. Release and repeat on the other side.
Breathing Exercise
- Start out on all fours placing your knees hip width apart and your hands directly under your shoulders.
- Close your eyes and relax your whole body, especially your lower back and belly. Let it ALL go!
- Relaxing your shoulders: Inhale for 3 to 6 seconds and expand your belly first and then lungs, arching your back, and bringing your head up.
- Hold for 3 to 6 seconds
- Exhale for 3 to 6 seconds, contracting your abdomen and pelvic floor, curve your back stretching the little muscles in your back and between your shoulder blades. You will feel the stretch where you need it most.
- Hold for 3 to 6 seconds
Note: Keep your breathing patterns even through out this exercise. If you inhale for 4 seconds, then hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds and hold for 4 seconds and so on.
Tip: Start off by setting a quiet alarm for 3 minutes and continue this breathing cycle until time is up. Work your way up to at least 5 minutes if you can.
Recovery
Sit comfortably or lay down, which ever you prefer. Set the alarm again for 3 minutes (again work your way up to 5 minutes ideally).
- Inhale to the count of 5 (seconds or heart beats), expanding your belly filling the lungs FULLY from the bottom up.
- Exhale to the count of 5 (seconds or heart beats), letting go of ALL tension with each exhale. Continue to scan your body and release all tension.
If you don’t feel any better after 10 minutes, then you may need to do another round of these exercises or you may need to address the mechanics of your breathing. You might have issues filling your lungs fully or exhaling fully leaving stale, residual air in your lungs.
If you would like to learn more about breathing and how it effects mental and physical wellness, then I highly recommend you read Breathe by Dr. Belisa Vranich