5 Ways Yoga Specifically Benefits Women

Nothing against men or anything, but women go through way more changes throughout their lives than men do. Physiologically, mentally, and emotionally.

That’s what happens when you’re the source of life energy for the whole planet. ;-)

Seriously, though. A woman’s world can be truly taxing.

We advance through multiple phases of life. And sometimes we need relief from what can seem like an unending burden of just being a woman.

As a woman myself, and one who has already experienced many of the stages of life women go through, I wanted to offer a Yoga for Women class with myYogaTeacher. Because yoga helps women transition through these phases with more ease, grace, and comfort.

If you haven’t signed up for myYogaTeacher yet, I invite you to do so! You can grab a 2-week free trial here!

There are yoga poses that will be beneficial to women in particular, but there are also other ways yoga supports women through all of their many life changes!

1. Yoga helps with premenstrual symptoms.

Did you know yoga is often recommended as a treatment option for PMS? That’s because scientific research has shown yoga to be an effective tool for minimizing the effects of PMS on women.

Not only does the actual act of yoga and meditation help women relax and release the stress from physical pain, emotional and mental stress associated with pain from PMS, it literally eliminates cramps, back pain, and cleanses the lymphatic system to help regulate hormones.

Here are some common yoga poses that help women with premenstrual symptoms:

• Child’s pose - relieves strain on back, neck and shoulders.
• Crocodile pose (aka Superman) - alleviates indigestion and constipation.
• Seated spinal twist - reduces cramping and lower back pain.
• Standing forward bend - helps with depression and anxiety, relaxes whole body
• Bridge pose - relieves headaches, improves blood circulation
• Corpse pose - great for releasing tension and just relaxing.

When you’re having a rough time with premenstrual symptoms try some of these yoga poses for women who experience PMS regularly.

2. Yoga improves menopause symptoms.

Menopause is inevitable. And every woman will react differently, have varying degrees of symptoms, and need various types of relief.

This is normal. It’s a time when abnormal is normal (to some extent). Unfortunately!

But did you know that women who do yoga during menopause have fewer hot flashes, regulate hormone levels better, and improve joint health? Fluctuating hormones is what causes the majority of menopausal symptoms, but you can help stabilize that just by participating in a regular yoga practice.

Yoga is sort of like a natural hormone therapy versus actual hormone replacement therapy. Which has its own negative side effects.

3. Yoga helps with pregnancy and labor.

If you’ve ever been pregnant, you’ll understand how valuable it is to find any natural remedies for the discomforts of pregnancy and childbirth!

Prenatal yoga for women is an excellent and safe alternative to many types of pain medications to alleviate back pain, joint discomfort, pregnancy stress, and hormonal imbalances.

Will yoga eliminate those cravings for ice cream and pickles – eaten together? Probably not.

But it’ll help.

Yoga during pregnancy (and even labor) reduces stress and can relieve pelvic floor pain.

Here are some simple prenatal poses you can do to help reduce pain and discomfort associated with pregnancy and labor:

• Wide knee child’s pose
• Cat and cow
• Standing side stretch
• Wide legged standing forward bend
• Yoga squat

These poses will open the hips and relieve tension in the lower and upper back!

4. Yoga may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Almost two-thirds of Americans who have Alzheimer’s Disease are women. That’s a lot of women who will suffer from this fatal disease.

Research studies have shown a regular yoga practice combined with meditation could delay the onset of this terrible disease. And we’re not just talking about yoga for women here. We’re talking about yoga period.

Any type of yoga. That’s huge.

Wouldn’t you want to do anything and everything possible to delay or prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease? I know I would.

Yoga literally improves the neural pathways in your brain!

If you’re looking for a place to start, I invite you to try my Yoga for Women class where we spend time doing different asanas every week that are beneficial for women.

5. Yoga improves your heart health.

Did you know heart disease is still the biggest killer of women in the United States today? It kills more women than cancer, suicide, or car accidents.

You don’t need a yoga for women class to know that yoga is good for your heart health. Yoga reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. It releases endorphins. Yoga helps you become more self-aware so you can address problems within your mind more quickly and easily.

Yoga brings harmony to your inner and outer world.

So of course, that will have positive effects on your physiological body! Your blood pressure will be lower. Your cortisol levels will be lower. You’ll emotional eat less and work out more. You’ll spend more time in nature and participating in selfcare.

You’ll just be a healthier human. With a healthier heart.

Women, you deserve to feel good, to take time for yourself. You deserve selfcare and a supportive community to come along beside you during the many transitions you face in life. Yoga is your path to sanity, to pain relief, to mental clarity and calm whether storms are rough or not.

Yoga brings balance to your body and soul.

Whether you’re stressed, trying to lose weight, suffering from hormonal imbalances, or are in physical, mental, or emotional pain, I invite you to come see me in my Yoga for Women Class. We work together and support one another. We are a group of all ages from all walks of life, and we’d love to see you there!

If you’re not a myYogaTeacher member yet, please come try it out! It is a wonderful community of yogis of all abilities, and you’ll have the opportunity to try many types of yoga with many instructors and find the ones that are a good fit for you! Get your 2-week free trial here and join us!