Gentle yoga may help some people manage period pain, particularly when it's practised regularly over several weeks.
Research into yoga and other forms of exercise has found less menstrual pain compared with no exercise, although it doesn't show that any one yoga pose works better than another or that doing a particular pose during a cramp will provide instant relief.
These eight poses are a practical starting point if movement feels good to you. Adapt them to suit your body, stay within a comfortable range and stop if anything makes your pain worse.
And if what your body wants is rest, that's a perfectly reasonable choice too.
Can yoga help with period pain?
Possibly, for some people.
Period pain, also called dysmenorrhoea, is commonly caused by prostaglandins, chemicals that make the muscles of the uterus contract during a period. Those contractions can cause cramps in the lower abdomen and pain that may spread to the back or thighs.
Exercise appears to help some people with primary dysmenorrhoea, which is period pain that isn't caused by another pelvic health condition.
A 2024 systematic review and network meta-analysis looked at 29 randomised trials involving 1,808 participants. After eight weeks, all the exercise types studied, including yoga, were associated with lower menstrual pain compared with no exercise. Relaxation exercises such as progressive muscle relaxation and self-massage ranked particularly well.
An earlier Cochrane review also found that exercise, including stretching and yoga, may reduce period pain compared with no exercise, although the researchers rated the evidence as low certainty.
Importantly, these studies looked at exercise programmes carried out over time. They don't tell us that Child's Pose, Happy Baby or any other individual pose has a specific pain-relieving effect.
How often do you need to practise yoga?
The studies showing benefits generally involved regular exercise over several weeks rather than doing one or two poses only when cramps appeared.
Healthdirect recommends regular gentle exercise as one option for managing period pain and suggests around 45 to 60 minutes, three or more times per week.
That doesn't mean you need to do an hour of yoga every time you exercise. Walking, swimming, stretching, yoga and other forms of movement can all form part of your routine.
On a day when you're cramping, you might simply choose one or two positions that feel comfortable.
Before you begin
You don't need to do all eight poses, hold them for a particular length of time or push yourself to achieve the textbook version of a yoga position.
- Use a mat, folded blanket or cushion for support.
- Breathe naturally rather than holding your breath.
- Keep movements slow and comfortable.
- Don't force a stretch or push through pelvic pain.
- Skip any pose that aggravates your back, hips, knees or abdomen.
- Choose rest if movement doesn't feel helpful.
If you have an injury, are pregnant, have recently had surgery or have a condition affecting your pelvis or joints, ask an appropriate healthcare professional which movements are suitable for you.
If exercise regularly triggers pelvic pain, consider speaking with your GP, an exercise physiologist or a pelvic health physiotherapist.
8 yoga poses to try for period pain
These aren't ranked by effectiveness. Think of them as gentle movement and resting positions you can experiment with to see what feels comfortable in your body.
1. Child's Pose (Balasana)
Child's Pose is a gentle resting position that some people find comfortable when their lower back or hips feel tense.
- Kneel on a mat with your knees a comfortable distance apart.
- Slowly sit back towards your heels.
- Fold forward and rest your forehead on a cushion or the mat.
- Rest your arms beside you or extend them forward.
- Stay for around 30 to 60 seconds if it feels comfortable.
To make it easier, place a cushion under your chest or between your hips and heels. Skip this pose if kneeling is uncomfortable.
2. Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
Cat-Cow gently moves the spine between a rounded and slightly arched position. Some people find this comfortable when their lower back feels stiff or achy.
- Start on your hands and knees.
- Breathe in and gently lengthen your chest forward, allowing your back to arch slightly.
- Breathe out and slowly round your back.
- Move between the two positions without forcing the movement.
- Continue for around 30 to 60 seconds if comfortable.
Reduce the range of movement if necessary or try a seated version if your wrists or knees are uncomfortable.
3. Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
This lying twist gently stretches the muscles around the lower back and hips.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent.
- Bring one knee towards your chest.
- Slowly guide it across your body.
- Keep the movement comfortable rather than trying to force your shoulder or knee towards the floor.
- Stay for around 20 to 30 seconds before changing sides.
Place a cushion under your moving knee for more support, or keep both knees bent and move them only a small distance from side to side.
4. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Bridge Pose adds a little more active movement if lying still doesn't appeal.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart.
- Gently press through your feet and lift your hips a small distance from the floor.
- Keep breathing naturally and avoid forcing your lower back into a deep arch.
- Hold briefly, then lower slowly.
- Repeat a few times if it feels comfortable.
The lift can be very small. Skip the pose if it increases pelvic or back discomfort.
5. Low Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Low Cobra is a gentle backbend that stretches the front of the body. Lying on your abdomen may not feel comfortable during a period, so this is definitely one to skip if it doesn't suit you.
- Lie on your stomach with your hands beneath or slightly forward of your shoulders.
- Keep your elbows bent and close to your sides.
- Gently lift your chest a small distance from the floor.
- Keep your neck relaxed and avoid pushing into a deep backbend.
- Lower yourself slowly after a few comfortable breaths.
Keep the lift very small or leave this pose out altogether if pressure on your abdomen increases discomfort.
6. Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
This is a supported resting position that gently opens the hips without needing much active movement.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent.
- Bring the soles of your feet together.
- Let your knees fall gently outwards without pushing them down.
- Support your thighs with cushions if needed.
- Rest for around one to two minutes while breathing comfortably.
Move your feet further away from your body or support both knees if you feel too much stretch through the hips or groin.
7. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
Legs Up the Wall is essentially a resting position. Some people find it calming or comfortable when they want to move less.
There isn't good evidence that this pose specifically increases circulation to the uterus, reduces menstrual bloating or treats period pain, so think of it as a comfort option rather than a therapeutic requirement.
- Sit sideways beside a wall.
- Carefully turn and lie back while bringing your legs up the wall.
- Keep your hips whatever distance from the wall feels comfortable.
- Rest your arms by your sides and breathe naturally.
- Stay for a few minutes if comfortable, then roll onto your side before sitting up.
You can rest your calves on a chair instead if that's easier. Stop if the position makes you dizzy or uncomfortable.
8. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
Happy Baby is a gentle hip stretch that you can modify considerably depending on your mobility and comfort.
- Lie on your back and bring your knees towards your chest.
- Let your knees move apart to a comfortable width.
- Hold behind your thighs or around your shins.
- If it feels comfortable, hold the outsides of your feet without pulling them towards the floor.
- Stay for a few breaths, then release slowly.
For a gentler option, keep your feet on the floor or bring one knee towards your chest at a time.
Which poses should you try first?
| If you prefer... | You could try... |
|---|---|
| A supported resting position | Child's Pose or Reclined Bound Angle |
| Gentle spinal movement | Cat-Cow |
| A light lower-back stretch | Supine Spinal Twist |
| A little more active movement | Bridge Pose |
| A quiet lying position | Legs Up the Wall, if comfortable |
These are comfort-based suggestions rather than rankings of which pose works best.
Yoga isn't the only movement associated with improvements in period pain. Walking, aerobic activity, stretching, strength work and relaxation exercises have also been studied.
What else may help with period pain?
Yoga is only one option, and you don't need to manage severe period pain with lifestyle measures alone.
Heat
A heat pack, hot water bottle, warm bath or shower may ease period cramps.
A 2026 systematic review of 57 randomised trials found that heat therapy reduced primary period pain compared with no treatment. It may provide pain relief comparable with anti-inflammatory medicines for some people, although the certainty of the evidence varied between comparisons.
Follow the instructions for your heat product and protect your skin from burns.
Pain-relief medicines
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen, naproxen and mefenamic acid reduce prostaglandin production and are commonly used for period pain.
They aren't suitable for everyone, including some people with certain stomach, kidney or asthma-related conditions, so check with your pharmacist or doctor if you're unsure.
Follow the dose and timing instructions on the medicine or those given by your healthcare professional.
TENS
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, uses a small device to deliver mild electrical stimulation through pads placed on the skin.
A 2024 Cochrane review found that both high-frequency and low-frequency TENS may reduce primary period pain compared with placebo or no treatment. The researchers rated the evidence low to very low certainty because the studies were generally small and had limitations.
Follow the instructions supplied with your TENS device. If you're pregnant, have an implanted electrical device or have another health condition that may affect safe use, ask an appropriate healthcare professional before using one.
Read our guide to TENS and EMS machines for more.
Hormonal treatments
Hormonal contraception can reduce period pain for some people. Options may include the combined pill, vaginal ring, hormonal IUD, implant or injection depending on your individual health and contraception needs.
Your GP can discuss the benefits, risks and whether a hormonal option is suitable for you.
Rest
You don't have to exercise through significant pain.
If you're tired, nauseous, cramping or simply don't feel like moving, rest is a legitimate way to look after yourself. Gentle movement is an option, not an obligation.
When should you see a doctor about period pain?
Period pain is common, but severe or changing pain shouldn't automatically be accepted as something you have to put up with.
Make an appointment with your GP if:
- pain regularly stops you going to work, school or doing normal activities
- heat and pain-relief medicines aren't helping enough
- your pain is becoming worse or has changed from your usual pattern
- you have pelvic pain between periods
- you experience pain during sex
- you bleed between periods
- your periods become unusually heavy or irregular
Conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids and pelvic inflammatory disease can cause secondary dysmenorrhoea.
Read our guide to endometriosis or our tips on talking to a doctor about vaginal concerns.
Keeping a record of your periods and pain may also help your doctor understand your pattern. Period Shop's free period tracker lets you record your flow, cramps and other symptoms.
Can you practise yoga during your period?
For most people, yes, if it feels comfortable.
There is no general medical requirement to avoid yoga or exercise simply because you're menstruating. Australian health guidance includes regular gentle exercise among the self-care options that may help with period pain.
You don't need to follow rules about avoiding particular poses solely because you have your period. Your comfort, symptoms, mobility and individual health matter more.
If a pose increases your cramps, pelvic pressure, dizziness or other symptoms, stop and choose another position or rest.
Our guide to working out during your period has more ideas for adapting movement around your symptoms.
Gentle movement is an option, not an obligation
Regular exercise, including yoga, may reduce period pain for some people. The research is encouraging, but it doesn't tell us that one particular pose is the secret to relieving cramps.
Try the movements that feel comfortable, adapt them to your body and leave out anything that doesn't feel good.
And if your period pain is severe, worsening or affecting everyday life, don't rely on yoga alone. Talk with a healthcare professional about what may be causing it and the other treatment options available.
Download a free Period Shop period tracker to record your cycle, cramps and other symptoms before an appointment.
Related reading
- A guide to working out during your period
- TENS vs EMS machines
- Pelvic floor relaxation techniques
- Endometriosis: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
Sources and further reading
- healthdirect: Painful periods
- healthdirect: Managing period pain
- Tsai et al. 2024: Comparative effectiveness of exercise for primary dysmenorrhoea
- Cochrane: Exercise for dysmenorrhoea
- Cochrane: TENS for primary dysmenorrhoea
- Yuan et al. 2026: Heat therapy for primary dysmenorrhoea
This article provides general educational information and isn't individual medical advice. The movement instructions are general suggestions and should be adapted to your circumstances. If you have persistent, severe or changing pelvic pain, seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional.