Is Yoga Good for Bloating During Perimenopause?
Bloating is a common and uncomfortable part of perimenopause. Discover how yoga poses and breathwork can support digestion, reduce gas, and ease that persistent puffy feeling.
Why Bloating Increases in Perimenopause
Bloating during perimenopause is usually caused by a combination of hormonal changes affecting digestion, increased cortisol slowing gut motility, and shifts in the gut microbiome. Fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone affect how quickly food moves through the digestive tract, often slowing things down and causing gas to build up. Stress makes it worse by activating the nervous system in ways that suppress digestion. The result is that familiar uncomfortable tightness and fullness that can appear even without overeating.
How Yoga Supports Digestion
Yoga helps bloating through two main pathways. First, movement and twisting poses physically massage the digestive organs, stimulating peristalsis, the rhythmic muscular contractions that move food and gas through the gut. Second, yoga reduces the stress response that suppresses digestive function. Many women notice that their bloating is significantly worse during stressful periods, and regular yoga practice addresses this root cause directly.
Poses That Are Particularly Effective
Certain yoga poses are especially well suited to relieving bloating. Wind-relieving pose (pavanamuktasana) does exactly what the name suggests, compressing the abdomen and helping release trapped gas. Seated and supine twists gently wring out the digestive organs. Cat-cow movements stimulate gut motility. Child's pose with a wide stance applies gentle pressure to the lower abdomen. Incorporating these into a short daily sequence can make a noticeable difference within a few days.
Timing Your Practice for Best Results
Practising yoga in the morning before eating can help set digestion up well for the day. A short session after dinner, keeping it gentle rather than vigorous, can help move food through more efficiently. Avoid strong inversions or intense core work right after eating, as these can worsen discomfort. The ideal approach is a light 10 to 20 minute sequence focused on the abdomen and lower back, which gives the digestive system a gentle nudge without overwhelming it.
Breathwork and the Gut-Brain Connection
The gut and brain are in constant communication via the vagus nerve, and yoga breathwork directly influences this pathway. Slow diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which switches digestion back on after a stress response. Deep belly breathing also physically massages the intestines from the inside, complementing the mechanical effect of yoga poses. Even a few minutes of slow, deliberate breathing after meals can reduce bloating over time.
Other Things Worth Considering
Yoga is most effective for bloating when combined with attention to diet, particularly reducing foods that cause gas, eating more slowly, and staying well hydrated. If bloating is severe, persistent, or accompanied by other digestive symptoms, it is worth discussing with your GP to rule out conditions like IBS, coeliac disease, or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Yoga works well alongside these other investigations rather than as a substitute for them.
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