Inversions & Menses

when you are menstruating, it is best to limit strenuous physical activity.

during your period, restorative yoga is a great option for fitness at this time.

from an āyurvedic perspective, one should AVOID doing yoga inversions while bleeding.

the reasoning for this is that inversions will disrupt the normal flow of apana vāyu within the body.

we always want proper gati (directionality) of vāta in the body.

one’s moon cycle is a time that we want to emphasize keeping apana vāta, and your period flow, flowing in a way conducive to maintaining svastha or health within the body.

inversions send the rajas (menstrual excretion) opposite of the direction it should travel, and thus, can cause health disruptions - i.e. reabsorption of blood that should be disposed of; undue pressure on uterine walls; fibroids; etc.