Benefits Of Yoga For Menopause

Menopause is when a woman’s menstrual period permanently stops. This is usually associated with hormonal, physical and psychological changes. With increased life expectancy, today, women spend one-third of their life after menopause. Thus more attention is needed towards peri- and post-menopausal symptoms

Vyayama – Exercise – Yoga

According to Acharya Charaka - That activity of the body, which is meant to increase its firmness and strength, in regarded as physical exercise; it should, be practised in the right measures.

शरीरचेष्टायाचेष्टास्थेर्यार्थाबलविर्धनी
देहव्यायामसंख्यातामात्रयातांसमाचरेत

According to Vagbhaata Acharya

लाघवंकर्मसामर्थ्यंदीप्तोऽग्नि: मेदस: क्षय:  विभक्तघनगात्रत्वंव्यायामात्उपजायते

Exercise brings aboutlightness of the body, it improves ability to do work,increases digestion power,burns excess fat, it brings body into good shape.

Yoga is an ancient holistic art of living that includes physical, mental, moral, and spiritual dimensions. Yoga has been studied as a method to help people cope with a number of health conditions, including menopause. Yoga exercises have a physiological effect by relaxing and gently stretching every muscle in the body, thereby improving blood circulation and oxygenation to all cells and tissues. This helps optimize the function of the endocrine glands and female reproductive system.

The Sanskrit word Yoga means to join or union and the practice of Yoga brings this union to all levels of one's self. Yoga has been utilized as a therapeutic tool to achieve positive health and control and cure diseases.

The most commonly performed Yoga practices are postures (Asana), controlled breathing (Pranayama), and meditation (Dhyana).

Asana is a Sanskrit word used to describe a position of the body. It is defined as a steady and comfortable posture. Asanas have an extraordinary capacity to overhaul, rejuvenate and bring the entire system into a state of balance. The postures chosen are based on the effectiveness in relieving menopausal symptoms. The nature of these poses and the associated deeper and slower breathing patterns would physiologically reduce a woman's oxygen consumption while stabilizing blood pressure and heart rate

Pranayama is a Sanskrit word meaning “restraint of the prana or breath”, which is often translated as breath control. pranayama techniques are beneficial in treating a wide range of stress disorders. The practice of pranayama develops a steady mind, strong willpower and sound judgment.

The effectiveness of Yoga in improving sleeping patterns suggesting its effective use in a clinical setting to combat symptoms of insomnia and other sleep disorders in post-menopausal women

If you develop a full body yoga practice of standing and sitting postures, along with some inverted poses and backbends, you'll engage all the glands and organs responsible for hormone development and distribution. Try to vary your practice not only in length, but also in the sequence of postures, at least three days a week to receive the complete benefits of hormonal balance

The Endocrine System

The endocrine system regulates the human body. This complicated network "talks" to the other systems within the body to control everything from growth and development to how energetic a person feels.

Hormones are special chemicals produced, stored, and distributed by glands and organs within the body. The endocrine system controls this process.

Doing yoga poses that stimulate and/or activate certain glands and organs, the practice helps to maintain hormone balance and consistent production and distribution.

Physical Activity Vs. Exercise

Physical activity is any bodily movement, produced by your muscles

Exercise is a type of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive and purposeful to improve or maintain some component of your fitness or health

Both are important for health

List of Yoga Asanas

Surya namsakara

SalambaSarvangasana (Shoulderstand)  

Marichyasana (Marichi's Pose)

JanuSirsasana (Head-to-Knee Forward Bend)

SuptaBaddhaKonasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose) 

AdhoMukhaSvanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

SuptaVirasana (Reclining Hero Pose)   

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

PrasaritaPadottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend)

Sasangasana (Rabbit Pose)

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

Padmasana (Lotus position)

Uttanasana (standing forward bend)

ViparitaKarani (Legs up the wall)

Tada-asana (mountain pose)

Triangle (Trikonasana)

Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

Shavasana

Suptavajrasana

Naukasana (Boat Pose)

Dhanurasana (Bow pose)

Marjaryasana and Bitilasana (Cat and Cow Pose)

Halasana

Pawanmuktasana

Ustrasana (Camel yoga)

Bhujangasana (Cobra)

Child Pose

AnulomVilom(Alternate Nostril Breathing)

Mudras

Benefits of Exercise - Yoga