I discovered the Hormone Yoga Therapy system when I was researching yoga techniques to alleviate peri-menopausal symptoms. I was waking up hot in the night, throwing off the duvet, then not being able to get back to sleep again. I began using my knowledge and experience of yoga to manage the condition and quickly realised my sleep was better when I meditated for 20 minutes just before bed. This isn’t surprising, it’s recognised that meditation soothes the nervous system and lowers stress hormones. When stress hormones are elevated it makes menopausal symptoms worse because your hormone levels get way off balance.
Hormone Yoga therapy was devised by Dinah Rodrigues, a Brazilian Yoga Therapist in the 1990s. Since then Dinah has trained many Yoga Teachers around the world to teach the system. So when a yoga teacher I knew announced she was running a Hormone Yoga Therapy course aimed at yoga teachers I quickly enrolled.
At the beginning of May via Zoom I joined 16 Yoga Teachers from Germany, Holland, India and the UK to train to be a Hormone Yoga teacher. Over 3 days we learnt the techniques and explored the anatomy and physiology of the endocrine system. The weekend was fascinating, we practised a full Hormone Yoga class each day, as well as breaking off into small groups to teach each other. I quickly noticed the energetic effect of the exercises even after the 1st session.
There are 12 different yoga poses, most of them are familiar if you’ve done yoga before. But it doesn’t matter if you’ve never done any yoga because its suitable for beginners because all the poses can be adapted to suit all abilities. The method also includes warm up exercises, breathing techniques, visualisation and relaxation.
Since May I’ve been regularly practicing and experimenting with the techniques and recording how the method has affected me. Symptoms like brain fog and irritability have subsided very quickly. I’m still getting hot at night but not as often and usually only when it’s warm. Twelve weeks later I’m sleeping better, I have more energy and I can think more clearly.
If you want to give Hormone Yoga a go join me for some taster sessions and a short online course in the autumn.