I haven’t been to Bikram Yoga class since Friday. Having three days off is not what I planned. Saturday, raining and windy, was my allocated day off and I expected to be back in the hot room on Sunday. But then the last thing I imagined happened …
Let me give you the back story briefly. My last period was early November and since then I’ve experienced some of the classic signs of perimenopause — hot flushes, no period and insomnia. When the hot flashes stopped after visiting Shelley in Brisbane early in January (a weird coincidence with no logical explanation) and I started sleeping again, I thought I was going to stroll into menopause free and clear.
Until Saturday night that is — when my period arrived after being absent for almost four months. Yesterday and today I’ve been mostly out of action due to stomach cramps and heavy bleeding. I’m feeling better tonight so I plan on going back to yoga tomorrow.
So I ask myself … has Bikram Yoga balanced my hormone levels and reactivated my fertility? I feel like it’s an entirely likely scenario.
Eagle Pose/Garurasana
- Eagle is the only posture that opens up the 14 largest joints in the skeletal system.
- Beyond improving flexibilities in the hips, knees, ankles and the rest, Eagle Pose also supplies fresh blood to the reproductive system and sex organs, plus the kidneys, which increases sexual vitality and helps clear up reproductive problems. (my emphasis) {source}
Miracle or coincidence? Has practising yoga changed the nature of your menstrual cycle?
{photo source} — FYI: I look nothing like this photo when I do the pose – my hands aren’t in prayer and my foot doesn’t make it that far around my leg. My eagle looks more like an irritated chicken!
Wow!! Yoga is really changing your life :). I like it – a lot :)!
No inversions when menstrating but I think I recall there isn’t any in bikram? The best pose to do is savasana (shavasana) at ttom. At any time really ;). I’ve read this, you know LOL.
Inversions have never stopped me before! But you’re right — there aren’t any in Bikram so I’m safe 😀
Katie – sorry to burst the bubble, but if you’re into the perimenopausal stage, then you will probably experience a few of these “on and off” stages. I went for 10 months without a period, first few months had hot flushes, anxiety and insomnia…all symptoms calmed right down and I thought “great. this is it.” but early January I got a full-blown period and have menstruated twice since then…so I don’t think Yoga has done anything there (I’m no expert, just speaking from personal experience)…but it has brought you some amazing other benefits by the sounds of it 🙂
This is the second time it has happened to me so I agree that my period is likely to come and go before I hit menopause properly — that’s the ‘what’ part of the equation. It’s the ‘why’ that’s always a mystery, and I think being active, in tune with my body, and letting go can influence my menstrual cycle in a positive way.
I’ve heard lots of stories of Bikram helping regulate hormones(as well as increased greens in the form of juice or smoothies) Katie, so it makes complete sense to me! I work with lots of women in the area of fertility and also with menopausal symptoms in my Acupuncture practice and although it can be normal to have your period show up extremely irregularly during this time, anything that nourishes you and your Kidney Qi in Chinese Medicine terms can definitely bring it back which in terms of your overall health and aging process is not necessarily a bad thing as long as it doesn’t continue to take you out for days at a time with pain!