Embracing Yoga for Hormone Balance

Our bodies have an amazing chemical messenger system going on that controls all your feelings, emotions, and reactions that happen in the body from digestion, energy release, reproduction, growth, sleep cycles, immunity, sexual development, tissue function, and metabolism.  For those of you reading this you might be experiencing symptoms like infertility, stress, menstrual cycle irregularities, menopause, or some kind of imbalance causing disease or dis-regulation in your body.   This is likely because the hormonal system is not functioning optimally. 

All the functions of the mind and body are regulated by the system that works 24/7 in our bodies called the endocrine system.  The endocrine system is made up of hormone secreting glands including the adrenals, hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, thyroid, pancreas, and ovaries or testes.  Each endocrine gland is mapped to the 7 chakras.  They then reasoned that the function of the associated endocrine gland must have something to do with the spiritual, psychological, psychosomatic, and physiological functions attributed to the chakra, or energy center.  Our endocrine system is affected when the flow of energy is blocked in one or more of the chakras, and because of this we are liable to develop mental and physical illnesses. So, understanding this makes us realize that our physical body is affected when we have a change in our consciousness.

What does hormonal imbalance look like?

When one gland is out of balance, it affects all other glands in the endocrine system.  Since there is only a limited amount of energy for the endocrine system, if one gland is taking up too much energy, the other glands can suffer.  If there are fertility issues, for example, that could also impact other areas such as sleep and weight management.  Some examples of hormone imbalance include:

·        Mood swings

·        Trouble sleeping

·        PMS

·        Irregular periods

·        Painful periods

·        Food cravings

·        Acne

·        Weak immune function

How can yoga help?

A balanced yoga practice can help support the endocrine system to function optimally.  Yoga poses compress and then decompress specific glands in the endocrine system which can help regulate hormonal secretions.  Every time you are doing a yoga pose, you are stimulating at least one hormone secreting gland.  Yoga can help balance your hormones by boosting your body’s production of oxytocin and endorphins.  Oxytocin is a hormone that is produced by the hypothalamus and released into the blood stream by the pituitary gland.  Its main function is to facilitate childbirth, which is one of the reasons it’s called the “love drug” or “love hormone”.  Endorphins can release feelings of well-being and happiness and help manage pain.  A relaxing yoga practice including yin or restorative poses, breathwork, and singing/chanting can help elicit the relaxation response in the nervous system which regulates the stress hormone (cortisol).  One of the main causes of hormone imbalance is stress and as many of us know yoga can dramatically reduce that stress.  It can also increase your body’s melatonin production optimizing your sleep cycle. 

The practice of yoga helps to turn your attention inward and allows for reflection of one’s own lifestyle choices and practices (consciousness). Situations causing chronic stress, whether that be work, relationships, diet, addictions, environmental toxins, or an unbalanced lifestyle can wreak havoc on the hormonal system.  Practicing yoga teaches you to listen to the signals your body is giving you, so you have space and time to decide what’s working and what isn’t.

What are the best yoga practices for hormonal balancing?

This is going to be unique for each person and it would be best to work with an experienced practitioner to design a custom yoga practice for you.  To start your yoga journey to help with hormonal balance consider adding the following recommendations:

·        Quieting the mind through meditation

·        Regulating the nervous system with breathing techniques

·        Working with the chakras

·        Practicing a variety of poses including forward folds, twists, back bends, and inversions to sooth your nervous system

·        Singing and chanting

·        Spending time outside (vitamin N)

·        Releasing toxic relationships and environments

·        Eating healthy nourishing foods for your constitution

·        Staying well hydrated

·        Avoiding alcohol and sugar

·        Limiting caffeine

The benefits of yoga and improved hormonal health include optimized sleep, elevated mood, decreased anxiety, increased energy, and managing pain.  Contact me if you would like to schedule a private yoga session to find a practice that best suits your unique constitution and lifestyle.

Namaste,

Jaclyn Rebekah Roberts E-RYT 500