Cramps, bloating, and mood swings can make you want to curl up and cancel your day.

Yes, you read that rightgentle stretches and mindful breathing can actually help you feel human again.

Ready to try it out?

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Lets dive into the best poses for period cramps that can ease those monthly aches and more.

First things first: How does yoga help with period cramps?

Breathing is at the heart of yoga.

Two young women practicing ballet with a teacher in the dance hall.

certified yoga instructor and founder ofUndone, a pop-up yoga experience

In short, yoga connects your mind and body, helping to ease pain and improve overall well-being.

Paige Willis, RYT-200

The best poses for period cramps

Ready for relief?

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Woman doing hip exercises

Its repetitive motion is also soothing for your nervous system, she adds.

Legs up the wall pose (Viparita Karani)

Feeling tired and swollen on your period?

This pose is for you.

Cropped image of woman doing lunge yoga pose

It helps reverse blood flow, letting circulation return from your feet to your heart, Willis says.

You dont even need a wall to get the benefits.

Just lifting your feet overhead will do the trick, she says.

Woman in leggings and bra doing Lunge with Arm Extended Up pose hip opener stretch during yoga session in morning at home.

certified yoga instructor and founder ofUndone, a pop-up yoga experience

Yang NY, Kim SD.

J Altern Complement Med.

2016 Sep;22(9):732-8. doi: 10.1089/acm.2016.0058.

Woman doing arm exercise without weights while sitting on mat at home.

Epub 2016 Jun 17.

Suri, Manjula & Sharma, Rekha & Saini, Namita.

International Journal of Adapted Physical Education and Yoga.

A woman in sports clothes does yoga or gymnastics at home. Daylight. She smiles

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