A large part of our body functions are controlled by hormones. Through targeted yoga exercises, we can balance our hormone levels - and thus, for example, alleviate menopausal symptoms or promote fertility.
What is hormone yoga?
Hormone Yoga is an energetic form of Hatha Yoga with Kundalini elements. It involves breathing techniques and yoga postures that stimulate endocrine glands in the body. This can balance out or at least reduce an imbalance in the hormonal balance.
What can I expect from hormone yoga?
If you have already practiced other forms of yoga, you will recognize a lot in Hormone Yoga. But the exercises are performed with a different focus: The focus of the practice is energy management through the combination of postures, breath work and mind control.
Hormone Yoga works on several levels and can be supportive on different topics: unfulfilled desire to have children, menstrual problems and PMS or during the menopause.
Who developed hormone yoga?
The Brazilian Dinah Rodrigues developed hormonal yoga therapy in 1992 after she herself had come through the menopause without any symptoms thanks to her years of Hatha Yoga practice. In a scientific study in 1993, she was able to prove that hormone yoga can help to restore the hormonal balance in our body.
Hormone yoga: how does it work and who is it suitable for?
Basically, all people who suffer from symptoms due to an unbalanced hormone level can do hormone yoga to achieve an improvement. It is particularly recommended for women over the age of 35, because then the natural hormone production begins to decrease.
However, there are also contraindications: women with cancer, fibroids, endometriosis, high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism or inflammation should never practice hormone yoga. This activating practice is also discouraged during menstruation. There are also other health issues that raising estrogen levels can have a negative impact on.
Because the endocrine system affects so many areas of the body, it should should always first be clarified by a doctor as to whether this type of exercise is suitable.
How does hormone yoga work?
As chemical messengers, hormones regulate breathing, blood pressure, our metabolism, appetite, the sleep-wake cycle and sexual function. If the natural hormone production is too low due to increasing age or other causes, we can counteract this with hormone yoga. The exercises are based on the principle of directing energy and have a direct effect on the hormonal glands and organs.
The activating breathing techniques Bhastrika and Ujjayi quickly release a lot of heat and energy in the body, which is then consciously transferred to the ovaries and the thyroid gland.
Relaxation is ascribed a particularly important role in hormone yoga, since stress negatively influences the production of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.
How effective is hormone yoga?
The hormone system not only works differently according to our age, but also reacts to changing circumstances. Stress is a big factor here and can noticeably throw the hormonal balance off balance.
The exercises themselves have a great effect due to the targeted energy control and stimulation good for the endocrine glands. With regular practice, hormone production can be increased by up to 200%.
But the effect of relaxation that yoga practice brings on a physical and mental level should not be underestimated. Relief of symptoms can often be noticed within a week. Practiced over a longer period of time, hormone yoga can significantly improve the well-being of women.
Is hormone yoga specifically for menopausal women?
Dinah Rodrigues developed Hormone Yoga specifically so that women can prepare for menopause and experience it more easily. But not only women in the menopause benefit from the exercise practice. Hormone yoga can also be an effective method of helping the body to find its way back to healthy functioning if you have an irregular cycle or an unfulfilled desire to have children.
What ailments does hormone yoga help with?
For younger women who suffer from menstrual pain, PMS or other cycle disorders, hormone yoga can be a good alternative to synthetic hormone preparations. Because these symptoms are often caused by a hormonal imbalance, for example an excess of estrogen.
If you want to have children, hormone yoga supports the activation of the ovaries and this can increase the likelihood of pregnancy.
Hormone yoga is best known in connection with classic menopausal symptoms. With regular practice, these can often be alleviated within a short period of time.
Hormone yoga during menopause
When should you start hormone yoga?
If women are already in the menopause and are struggling with symptoms, they can relieve them quite quickly and naturally with hormone yoga. It's even better to start exercising before menopause to prevent symptoms from arising in the first place.
A daily exercise practice of approx 30 minutes over a longer period of time is enough to feel the effect.
Yoga during menopause: what are the symptoms of menopause?
When most people think of menopausal symptoms, they think of hot flashes and insomnia. Hair loss, headaches and joint problems are also common. But the symptoms are far from just physical. Many women also suffer from mood swings, restlessness, listlessness and depression on a mental level. The hormonal changes in the body can cause them to become mentally unbalanced and not recognize themselves.
Hormone yoga if you want to have children
In order to find out whether hormone yoga can help you with an unfulfilled desire to have children, it is important to first find out why pregnancy does not occur. The reasons for this can be very diverse: from stress to menstrual cycle fluctuations to health problems with the ovaries. If the desired pregnancy does not come about due to a hormonal imbalance, hormone yoga can be one of several effective remedies. However, it is worth starting at several points at the same time.
Hormone Yoga: Exercises
Hormone yoga involves practicing a fixed sequence of exercises that are specifically selected and coordinated to stimulate hormone production.
Which exercises are part of the hormone yoga?
Hormone yoga exercises mainly include those that stimulate the ovaries, the thyroid and the pituitary gland. The exercises are kept more static while breathing with the Bhastrika breathing technique or Ujjayi.
Which yoga exercises help against menstrual pain?
There are a variety of causes of period pain, but most are caused by the muscles in the uterus contracting. Gentle hip openers such as the seated or lying butterfly (Baddha Konasana), the deep lunge (Anjaneyasana) and Shavasana with a rolled blanket under the knees are good ways to relieve this pain.
What exercises are part of a typical hormone yoga class?
Hormone Yoga combines some classic asanas with four basic techniques to direct energy in the body:
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Bhastrika Pranayama:
The Bhastrika breath is one powerful breathing exercise that activates a lot of energy (Prana) in the body and creates inner heat. To do this, the abdomen is arched forward like a bellows when inhaling and actively retracted when exhaling. This massages the ovaries.
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Ujjayi Pranayama:
The glottis narrows, causing the respiratory flow channeling and audible. This technique calms, helps focus and massages the thyroid.
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Mula Bandha:
The muscles of the pelvic floor is a kind of closure on the underside of the body to consciously keep the energy in the body.
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Tibetan energy guidance:
By holding your breath, the tip of the tongue is pressed against the upper palate and the concentration is directed to the tip of the nose. In doing so, one visualizes the direction of the energy to the ovaries or the thyroid gland.
The following asanas belong to the Hormone Yoga exercise series:
Ovarian exercises
- Lunge
- Deep Squat (Malasana)
- Half Twist Seat (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
Exercises for the thyroid
- Shoulder Bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
- Fish (Matsyasana)
- Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana)
Relaxation is one of the most important aspects of hormone yoga. Therefore, you should always finish your practice with Shavasana. To do this, lie on your back for at least 5 minutes and allow yourself to let go
Hormone yoga: experiences and goals
Hormone yoga is primarily intended to restore the hormone balance in the body. As a result, cycle or menopausal symptoms can be alleviated. The exercises can also help to fulfill a desire to have children.
Are there many testimonials?
By researching the internet, you will find many personal stories of women, who Hormone Yoga helped with their complaints or their previously unfulfilled desire to have children. But there are also scientific studies on the subject. The publications often address the question of what are the natural alternatives to hormone replacement therapy after it was found that it can promote cancer.
Despite the different needs, hormone yoga is an effective support for many women. It is crucial not only to do the physical exercises every day, but also to be mentally present and direct the energy to the appropriate body regions.