Let’s face it: Period cramps are an uncomfortable–and sometimes debilitatingly painful–part of the menstrual cycle. They can slow down your day and derail your week.
The amount of pain you experience during your period is often related to your pelvic floor health and daily diet. With just a few breathwork, movement, and nutrition tools, you can reduce your period pain and improve your pelvic (and total body) well-being!
As a pelvic floor physical therapist and women’s health coach, these are some of my tried-and-true tips to help you support your body through this tender time.
First, use calm breathing to relax your pelvic floor.
A tight pelvic floor can increase period pain as the tension makes it harder for the uterus to contract and expel its lining efficiently.
To relax your pelvic floor muscles during cramps, try practicing some calm breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing (or what I like to call 360 breathing).
Here’s how to do 360 breathing:
- Sit comfortably or lie down on your back with knees bent.
- Place both hands on your lower ribs.
- Inhale deeply through your nose and try to breathe into your hands, sending air to your back, belly, and down into the pelvic floor.
- Exhale slowly through your nose, allowing your belly to fall and your pelvic floor to naturally come back to a relaxed state.
Pro tip: Most women breathe too much into their chest or belly and don’t realize how much room they have to send air to their back, bottom cheeks, and pelvic floor. Pay attention to how your pelvic floor releases when you inhale and naturally returns to a neutral position when you exhale.
With each deep breath, you reduce the strain on your pelvic floor and, as a result, the cramps you're experiencing.
Second, incorporate gentle movement into your day.
With an emphasis on gentle! Slow, steady movement helps relieve period pain by improving blood flow, releasing endorphins, and reducing muscle tension (importantly, in your pelvic floor). Think yoga, stretching, or a leisurely walk.
When incorporating stretching and yoga, look for poses that help open your hips and lower back.
A few of my favorite stretches include:
- Child’s Pose: Great for stretching your back, the muscles around your hips and your pelvic floor.
- Happy Baby: This pose targets your pelvic floor, glutes, and lower back.
- Cat/Cow: Another excellent stretch that helps release your spine, core, hips and pelvic floor.
Pro tip: For maximum impact, pair each of these stretches with 360 diaphragmatic breathing to release the tense muscles in your pelvic floor. Consider using heat, like a hot pack or relaxing bath, to extend the release.
Finally, third, nourish your body through mindful nutrition.
In addition to breathwork and gentle movement, nutrition plays a big role in how you experience period pain. I often recommend the following dietary supplements to reduce cramping:
- Magnesium glycinate: You may have heard about how magnesium supplements can help you relax and sleep better. Magnesium glycinate is also great for easing cramp intensity and regulating prostaglandins—hormone-like substances that, when elevated, trigger stronger and more painful uterine contractions.
- Electrolyte drink mixes: Hydration is key to reducing muscle cramps, including those in the uterus. Electrolytes give you a hydration boost, helping your body absorb and retain fluids more efficiently than just plain water. This ensures oxygen and nutrients reach the uterus and surrounding muscles, so you feel less pain. Two of my favorite brands include Re-lyte and LMNT.
- Other magnesium-rich foods: Look for other natural sources of magnesium such as spinach, pumpkin seeds, almonds, dark chocolate, and avocado to help relax your muscles and reduce inflammation. In addition to being magnesium-rich, these foods also provide fiber and antioxidants that support overall hormone balance and reduce PMS symptoms.
I hope these ideas help you feel empowered to better manage your period pain. Experiment with the combinations that work best for you! If you’d like to further explore how to heal your pelvic floor and support your body through each stage of your cycle, I’d love to work with you.
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Dr. Emily Mason
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