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Practicing hot yoga during menopause can alleviate some symptoms.
June 26, 2024
Marianne von Waldenfels
During menopause, many women suffer from hot flashes, mood swings, or sleep disturbances. How hot yoga can help against this.
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From 40 onwards, many women enter menopause. Initially, the level of the female hormone progesterone decreases; later, the amount of estrogen in the body also reduces. Fertility decreases. Menstrual periods often become more irregular, eventually stopping altogether.
These hormonal changes can trigger numerous mental and physical symptoms, from hot flashes to sleep disturbances and mood swings to depression. .
Typical signs of menopause are hot flashes and night sweats. They are referred to as vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and are triggered by a specific part of the brain, the hypothalamus. Attention: These symptoms are not only annoying and affect the quality of life, but they can also increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
In addition to supportive hormone therapies, exercise, and targeted relaxation, yoga can also help regain inner balance and alleviate menopausal symptoms. Hot yoga, also known as Bikram Yoga, is considered particularly effective here.
Hot yoga is part of Hatha Yoga, named after its founder Bikram Choudhury and consists of 26 exercises performed in a hot room (room temperature between 35 and 40 degrees, humidity of at least 40 percent).
The heat in the room is supposed to protect muscles and tendons and reduce the risk of injury. The inevitable sweating during Bikram Yoga is said to help the body detoxify. Strength and endurance are particularly trained in hot yoga, thus strengthening the cardiovascular system. Some exercises also have a calming effect on the nervous system, which in turn can improve sleep.
Many women suffer from a weak bladder during menopause. Yoga specifically supports the strengthening of the pelvic floor, as the exercises also engage internal muscles. In addition, it strengthens the abdominal and back muscles, which are immensely important for a stable pelvic floor.
Breathing, which plays an important role in yoga, is closely connected to the nervous, hormonal, and immune systems and affects our autonomic nervous system. The combination of breathing techniques, meditation, and movement can contribute to relaxation, combat mood swings, have a mood-enhancing effect, and improve well-being.
While the effects on vasomotor symptoms were shown to be not statistically significant in a study in the USA with 237 women, an improvement in the symptoms and severity of insomnia was observed.
