5 Ways Yoga Eased My PCOS Symptoms — and Completely Changed My Life

Before I tried yoga, I made the mistake of trying to join the cross-country team — aptly named, because it feels like you're running across the entire United States. I worked out too hard, too quickly and even attempted heavy weightlifting. When I mentioned this to Eden Fromberg, MD, a yogi and board-certified gynecologist at Holistic Gynecology New York, she explained that I made the mistake of stressing out my adrenal gland, which was actually causing me to gain weight. Dr. Fromberg recommends Vinyasa yoga to PCOS patients. It's the perfect middle ground because it isn't muscle building in its purest form but can leave anyone's mat dripping in sweat, nonetheless. I can personally attest to the positive correlation between how good my thighs look in a dress and how many Sun Salutations I'm doing in the morning.

Breathing through every movement is an important part of yoga. I've adapted that into a simple practice I can do on the subway, at the office, wherever: I simply close my eyes and go through each inch of my face, working to relax my forehead muscles and jaw, even my brows. I've trained my body to make deep breathing my stress response instead of tensing my facial muscles. Elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol ignite an inflammatory response. Mine liked to make an appearance on my cheeks. Though I am not, by any means, pimple-free, I only get the occasional pimple every couple of weeks now, rather than waking up to a new breakout every morning.

You know that feeling of excitement you get when you won't be on your period during vacation? Now imagine that you end up getting it anyway on the second day of your trip. I once had a painful, cramp-filled period that lasted a full month on a family vacation, and then I didn't get one again for three months. Irregular periods with severe cramps are a telltale sign of PCOS.

Dr. Fromberg explained that the reproductive system gets congested the same way the lymphatic system can when you have a cold. When we don't exercise our pelvic muscles, the blood in our pelvic veins can start to build up. This can cause severe pain in the pelvic muscles, making it even more important for women with PCOS to exercise consistently. Try positions in which your pelvis is inverted, like a Shoulder Stand with your body leaning against a wall, a restorative exercise that Dr. Fromberg recommends to get the blood in your pelvic veins moving. This, I would say, has been the most effective for me in seeing direct results. One straight month of doing this pose every day brought my cycle back to a place where I could predict my period within a week . . . without any pain.

Just taking some time for yourself can be restorative, but Dr. Fromberg believes that yoga is energizing in part because it takes you away from your phone. "When people look at their phone, they think they're doing something fun and relaxing," she said. "But they actually restrict their breath, and their heart rate goes up — the opposite of what yoga does."

There's no doubt that our phones and their constant notifications keep us inundated with information at all times. While that can be exhausting for anyone, it's even more tiresome for someone battling a chronic illness. This is one of the lessons I learned that stayed with me off the mat. Because I know how good it can feel to disconnect, I think twice before bringing my phone to lunch with coworkers or on a grocery store run. Instead of leaning on my phone to distract me while I'm waiting or walking, I take a couple of deep breaths and calmly take in my surroundings.

This one isn't just for women with PCOS, or even just women — but breathing with intention has also helped calm my mood swings. There's one practice in particular, known as Nacho Shodhana Pranayama, that simply involves alternating between nostrils. "It's effective, safe, and beneficial in regulating stress, which is a major trigger for agitated moods and acne," Pooja explained. It has certainly made a difference for me.