How Yin Yoga Can Help During Menopause

In recent years, a spotlight has been put on women’s health and wellbeing thanks to social media and healthcare workers with a more modern and compassionate approach. Because of this, women have access to a wealth of information about different life stages and how they can cope with the effects of menopause before symptoms even start.  

It has been said that there are over one hundred symptoms of menopause; many of which are viewed, and often treated, as something completely unrelated. Many women get confused and frustrated when their symptoms persist and they get no straight answers or the right help when seeking advice from healthcare professionals. This can add extra stress to a body that is already under more stress than it used to be.

To help women live healthier lives during and beyond their menopause years, there is a huge emphasis on building muscle through weight training and eating more protein.  There is also the added pressure to exercise more in the attempt to stop or reverse unwanted weight gain; particularly around the abdominal area. It seems that health-conscious women must put increased effort into their already busy lives to keep up with this demand. The advice is welcomed, but this is all ‘Yang’ in nature.

In terms of physical exercise, Yang (the opposite of Yin) is high-energy, warming and dynamic, whereas Yin is passive, calming and cooling. In an ideal world, we would have a nice balanced mix of both, ebbing and flowing depending on our environment. This is why Yin Yoga is undervalued in the world of women’s health. With so much attention on Yang styles of movement, are we missing a fundamental part of women’s health during these years of hormonal changes?

We know that cortisol levels are higher in menopausal women due to the reduction in progesterone and oestrogen. This means a woman’s body becomes more sensitive to stress. Therefore, it would make perfect sense to focus on reducing cortisol levels through Yin based practices. This is not to take anything away from the Yang based activities, but rather a way to complement them.  

Yin Yoga offers profound, positive changes for mind and body at all life stages and is particularly helpful for women during the stages of menopause. With a focus on long holds in passive stretches, it has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety, increase collagen production and improve joint mobility. It can also help with sleep and increase mental and physical resilience. With regular practice, the benefits extend into everyday life and menopausal symptoms are reduced. Practitioners can also experience a greater ability to cope with the inevitable symptoms, meaning there is more acceptance of their ever-changing body and a reduction in stress levels overall.

Yin Yoga is Regularly Taught at Anglesey Wellbeing

What Can You Expect During a Yin Yoga Class?

This really depends on the teacher and their teaching style, studio setting, length of class, number of students and added extras. A lot of teachers enhance their classes with other healing modalities such as Sound, Reiki and Yoga Nidra. The use of props is widely taught and encouraged to keep the body as safe and relaxed as possible.  

Generally, you would expect to be guided through breath practices, mindfulness techniques and long-held postures that can often feel uncomfortable to be begin with. This discomfort should dissipate as you are guided through the stretches in such a way that you feel safe enough to let go, so any resistance is released. The benefits are felt instantly as you slowly come out of the posture and work through a rebound movement to reestablish neutrality in the body. Once your body gets used to the postures and starts to open up, the discomfort lessens. The idea is that you are guided through what initially may feel stressful to the physical body, into a place of relaxation in the mind. The body then follows and surrenders into the posture. When the stretch reflex releases, the connective tissues are targeted, and this is when the many benefits begin to unfold.  

With consistent practice over time, a certain tolerance is built up to cope with day-to-day stressors. What you once found particularly stressful soon becomes easier to handle. Your body starts to feel stronger, more resilient and lighter as the fascia is hydrated and mobilised. The body and mind are then primed for the strength and stamina required for Yang based activities.  

There are many other benefits that can be unique to the individual. The practice of Yin Yoga has been known to release mental and emotional blockages by clearing the subtle energy channels known as the nadis (Yoga) or meridians (Traditional Chinese Medicine). Many women hold emotional energy in the hip and lower back region and several of the postures target the deep connective tissues in these areas. An emotional release during or after a class is completely normal and somewhat common. It doesn’t need any explanation, and studio classes are generally a judgement free zone.

The key benefits of Yin Yoga for women in any stage of menopause:

·       Reduced stress and anxiety

·       Improved joint health and mobility

·       Mental clarity and a more positive outlook

·       Increased feel-good hormones

·       Reduced menopausal symptoms

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) teaches us that for anything to have balance and equilibrium, Yin and Yang should be in tune with each other; with one being favoured over the other depending on the current situation. So, if you’re feeling too Yang, why not introduce some Yin.

Browse and book Yin Yoga Classes and Workshops at Anglesey Wellbeing

Written by a fully qualified, heart-led human