There is a verse from the ancient Tamil scripture Thirumanthiram that says:

(Udambai valarkkum upaayam arindhe, udambai valarththen uyir valarththenae)

Which translates to “ I learned the way of preserving my body and so doing, preserved my lifesource (prana) too.”

This ancient wisdom aligns beautifully with modern science. Understanding this mind-body connection is key to restoring balance and supporting healthier menstrual cycles. Our mind and body are always in conversation, but during menstruation, that conversation can feel more like a shout. What we often label as “just cramps” or “mood swings” is actually the result of a deeper, more complex interaction between our physical and mental states.

The stress levels, cognitive patterns, and the overall balance of the nervous system is the key to what women experience during, after or before their periods. In many cases, menstrual health issues such as dysmenorrhea, irregular periods, and emotional disturbances are not just physiological disruptions but reflections of a disturbed mind-body axis. Studies show that psychological stress and deprivation can directly impact menstrual regularity and intensity.

Understanding autonomic nervous system and why stress feeds PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) :

The ANS maintains a stable internal environment despite external changes by balancing responses to stress and recovery through three different branches.

● the sympathetic nervous system - fight or flight

● the parasympathetic nervous system - rest, digest, and recover

● enteric system - gut based branch

On a deeper level, the central nervous system (CNS) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) work together like co-pilots steering the body through its environment. During the luteal phase (the week before your period), women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) show an imbalanced ANS response, with increased stress that increases sympathetic activity and reduced parasympathetic tone even when at rest.

Interestingly, this imbalance isn't caused by hormonal dysfunction as oestrogen and progesterone levels remain normal in many PMS cases. Instead, it may be the body’s accumulated response to stress over time, something scientists call allostatic load. The idea is that repeated exposure to stress, whether emotional or physical, gradually dysregulates the body’s ability to bounce back leading to low resilience and delayed recovery during the menstrual phase (Meng et al. 2022).

Beyond physiological stress, another reason the nervous system gets out of balance is due to how we feel about our periods.

If someone dreads their cycle or sees it as something stressful or shameful, their body may respond with more tension and anxiety even without them realizing it. Over time, this can make PMS symptoms worse by keeping the nervous system stuck in stress mode.

This is where mind-body practices come in. Yoga, mindfulness meditation, and breath work aren’t just wellness trends, they are science-backed methods that help restore balance from the inside out. They have been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and help the body recover from stress more efficiently. This makes them a powerful tool to rebalance the ANS and increase the menstrual well being.