5 Restorative Yoga Poses to Balance Your Hormones

5 Restorative Yoga Poses to Balance Your Hormones

Have you noticed your hormones may be off-balance? Here is a relaxing yoga routine to help get you back on track.

Do you have: chronic high stress or anxiety, trouble losing weight, constant hunger, poor sleep, and/or depression?

These could be signs of a hormonal imbalance. If you have experienced stress, then you know firsthand about the unpleasant side effects it can cause.

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Currently, treatment for anxiety, depression and other hormonal imbalances relies heavily on pharmaceutical intervention. However, mind-body practices, such as yoga, are rapidly becoming a more popular form of treatment. (1)

Studies show that yoga, especially the restorative form, can help reduce cortisol levels (a hormone that helps the body respond to stress) and even offer relief from depression. (2)

Here you’ll find an easy restorative yoga practice you can do in the comfort of your home to help you unwind and de-stress after a long day.

5 Restorative Yoga Poses to Balance Your Hormones

Restorative yoga uses props to help you get comfortable and relax into your poses long enough to find a peaceful state.

For this home restorative yoga practice, you’ll need:

• 1 blanket or pillow that you can fold or roll up to use as support.

Typically in a restorative practice, each pose will be held for at least 5 to 8 minutes. However, take each pose at your own pace, resting in each move for as long as you like.

Focus mainly on your breath, taking 3 seconds to inhale fully and 5 seconds to exhale.

Fish Pose with Back Support

Opening up the tightness in your chest, neck, and shoulders is a great way to let go of stress and tension.

1. Roll a blanket up into a tight roll.
2. Sit on the ground with your legs together and place the rolled blanket at the base of your spine.
3. Lie back onto the blanket and rest your head on the ground.
4. Stretch your arms out by your sides and lay the backs of your hands on the ground.
5. Lift your chest and roll your shoulders down and back.
6. Tilt your chin up to stretch your neck and further open up the front of your body for a relaxing stretch. Breathe deeply.

Legs Up the Wall with Back Support

Inversions (upside down postures) are excellent for refreshing our blood flow and giving new perspective to our emotional state.

1. Lay a folded up blanket on the ground about 3 inches from the wall.
2. Sit down on the blanket, setting your butt as close to the wall as possible.
3. Lift your legs straight up the wall and adjust your position until your back is centered on the blanket and you are comfortable.
4. Straighten your hips and legs until your feet point straight up to the ceiling.
5. Lay your arms down by your sides and tilt your head slightly back until you find a comfortable resting position. Settle in and breathe.

Sphinx Pose with Elbow Support

A lot of our stress can be trapped in our hip flexors and shoulders. This sphinx pose elongates your hip flexors. As you work to press your elbows into the blanket, the stress will be released from your neck.

1. Lie on the ground, belly down.
2. Place a folded blanket under your elbows to make the pose more comfortable and give you some height.
3. Stretch your legs out straight and press your hips into the ground.
4. Press your elbows into the blanket and reach your head up tall.
5. Lift your chest to extend your heart through your arms.
6. Breathe deep and settle into the pose.

Forward Fold with Knee Support

Forward folds are great for stretching stiff back muscles. This supported version will help you focus on your back while giving your hamstrings a break.

1. Sit down on the ground.
2. Place a folded blanket right under your knees, allowing the backs of your knees to rest on it.
3. Fold forward over your legs and stretch your arm out long in front of you.
4. As you settle in, try to close the gap between your chest and thighs and rest your forehead on your knees.

Savasana with Knee Support

Our final resting pose. As simple as this may look, it’s truly one of the most effective stress-relieving poses.

1. Lie on your back and place a folded blanket underneath your knees.
2. Roll your shoulders back and down and rest your arms on the ground beside you.
3. Relax every muscle in your body and sink into relaxation.

Final Notes

The greatest thing about yoga, especially compared to anti-depression or other hormone disorder pharmaceuticals, is that yoga is available to everyone, everywhere, without financial cost or negative side effects. A simple home restorative yoga practice like this one can be used any time you need it, as often as you like, to help you naturally and effectively treat and prevent hormonal imbalance.

Please follow and share this practice with friends, as we could all use some peaceful relaxation and rebalancing.

(Your Next Workout: Yoga for Insomnia: 5 Easy Poses for Better Sleep)

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