Yoga for PCOS: 7 Effective Poses for an At-Home Treatment

Would you believe it if we told you that infertility, diabetes, cancer, miscarriage and depression are all related? Yes, these are some of the many complications you are at risk of if you suffer from PCOS.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or commonly known as PCOS, is a hormonal problem that affects 1 in every 5 women in India. Women with PCOS produce an excessive amount of a male hormone called androgen. This can result in irregular periods, obesity or weight gain, hair loss, too much facial hair growth and a lot of other things.

Currently, PCOS has no cure, the jury is still out on this one. But it can be effectively managed with lifestyle and dietary changes.

Yoga for PCOS problems, at home, sounds perfect if running kilometers, or sweaty gym equipment are not your thing. Experts believe stress is one of the major contributing factors. Guess what can help reduce your stress? Yoga! Doing yoga is all about encouraging relaxation and peace of the mind and body, the natural opposite of stress. It’s sure to be effective!

It is also proven that weight loss, even as little as 5% of your body weight can improve the symptoms of PCOS, and yoga can help you with that too.

In this article we’ve found and brought you the best yoga asanas for PCOS we could find. Keep reading to learn more!

Best Yoga Poses for PCOS

One of the best things about yoga is, it has something for everyone, for every age and every fitness level. And now, here we are, looking for yoga asanas to deal with PCOS, a disorder associated with hormones, and yoga offers something for it too. The names might sound intimidating, but we promise, doing these yoga poses is easier than trying to pronounce their names.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

The first PCOS yoga pose at home that you can try is Setu Bandhasana. It helps reduce stress and anxiety while relieving the tension in your back muscles.

To do Setu Bandhasana:

• Start by lying down on your back with your hands by your sides.
• Fold your knees and keep them hip-distance apart and parallel to each other.
• Inhale and press the feet into the floor, lift your lower-back, mid-back and upper-back off the floor one at a time in that same order.
• Roll your shoulders back and bring your chest towards your chin.
• Stay in this pose for 1 to 2 minutes then exit.

Garland Pose (Malasana)

Malasana can help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and the abdomen while opening the hips. Malasana can also increase blood circulation throughout the body aiding in digestion and metabolism.

To do Malasana:

• Squat down with your legs closed and your heels flat on the ground.
• Bring your arms to a praying pose and press your elbows against your inner thighs and stretch your thighs wide apart. This helps open your hips.
• Make sure your spine is straight and your feet are still close to each other.
• Stay in this pose for up to 5 breaths.
• Exit this pose by straightening your legs and standing up.
• Repeat this pose at least 3 times.

Cat-Cow Pose (Chakravakasana)

Chakravakasana helps release stiff shoulders and neck. They are also good for your reproductive system and the nervous system.

• Start on all fours.
• Then lower your head and arch your spine upwards like a cat ready to cause chaos. Breathe into this pose and wait for five seconds.
• Return to the original position and repeat the exact opposite of the above instruction. Raise your head above and arch your spine downwards toward the ground. Breathe into this pose and wait for five seconds again.
• You can repeat this pose as many times as you wish.

All these poses might make you want to channel your inner Rihanna, but we assure you, twerking in the middle of yoga poses is a very bad idea. Yoga is all about taking it slow, being calm and at rest, or you might even end up hurting yourself.

Head-to-Knee Pose (Janusirsana)

Janusirsana improves posture and relieves lower back pain and stiffness. It can also help calm your mind and reduce tiredness effectively.

To do Janusirsana:

• Start with sitting down with both your legs outwards and your feet pointing upwards.
• Fold your right feet and place its sole on your left inner thigh.
• Exhale and lean towards your outstretched left foot. Initiate the bend from your hips instead of your lower back.
• If you can reach your left foot, hold onto it. If you can’t, you can hold onto your ankle or calf.
• Maintain a straight spine and long neck. On each inhale, try to lengthen your spine. On each exhale, try to bend forward even more.
• Maintain this pose for 5 to 10 breaths.
• To exit the pose, straighten both your legs.
• Repeat the pose for the other leg.

Butterfly or Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddhakonasana)

Secondary DysmenorrheaSupta Baddhakonasana relieves menstrual discomfort and stress and promotes relaxation.

Secondary DysmenorrheaTo do Supta Baddhakonasana:

• Start with your legs outstretched in front of you.
• Bend both your legs from the knees and press your heels against each other with your thighs pressing against the floor.
• Now slowly lean backwards until your back is on the floor.
• Breathe deeply into the pose for 3 to 5 minutes.

Bonus breathing technique (Kapalbhati Pranayama)

Secondary DysmenorrheaSecondary DysmenorrheaKapalbhati Pranayama can help with weight management, blood sugar levels and stress. Make sure to do this exercise on an empty stomach.

To do Kapalbhati Pranayama:

• Sit cross-legged on the floor, you can even sit on a chair.
• Close your eyes and relax your entire body.
• Inhale deeply through your nose.
• Exhale forcefully with the help of the abdominal muscles to relax.
• Repeat 10 times or up to 5 minutes.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Bhujangasana supports healthy ovaries by soothing the stomach and helping it function properly. It also helps improve digestion and metabolism while relieving stress.

To do Bhujangasana:

• Lie on your stomach with your arms close to your body and your palms facing the ground
• Inhale and start straightening your arms to raise your chest off the floor.
• Try to recline backwards as much as you can and try to keep your navel touching the ground. It’s completely fine if you can’t.
• Stay in this position for 30 seconds and relax.

PCOS yoga exercise isn’t the only exercise that can help with PCOS, you should also participate in physical activities like running, swimming and cycling, etc. All these exercises can reduce weight and manage blood sugar and insulin levels which can help improve your PCOS symptoms.