One night last summer while I was staying in a hotel, I woke up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain in my abdomen.
I couldn’t figure out what it could possibly be coming from, so I got out of bed and pulled out my phone.
After some quick research, I realized that my pain was coming from gas; I had never realized it could be so uncomfortable. I walked around while looking on the internet for ways to relieve the pain.
I noticed that the pain felt slightly better while I walked, so I started wondering if there were other things I could do with my body to help ease the pain.
I tried a variety of easy home remedies — drinking water, going to the restroom, etc. — but because it was the middle of the night and I didn’t have a car, I couldn’t run to the store to buy any pain-relievers.
It might seem crazy, but the only thing that helped was stretching!
It seems a little counterintuitive, but moving and stretching when you have painful gas and uncomfortable bloating can actually be really helpful.
Below, try the stretches to relieve gas and bloating. If any of them cause you more discomfort or pain in another part of your body, just move on to the next one.
Not every stretch will work for every person, so do the ones that feel good for your body, and don’t push yourself too hard!
Note: If you have any of the following conditions, you should consult your doctor before proceeding with these stretches: high blood pressure, heart problem, hyperacidity, hernia, slip disc, testicle disorder, menstruation, neck and back problems, and pregnancy.
1. Child’s Pose
To do this stretch, sit down with your knees on the floor.
Sit back onto your heels and spread your knees apart just wider than your hips.
Reach your arms out forward and press your forehead to the ground. Hold this position for five breaths or longer.
According to Health, this should be a relaxing stretch that allows you to breathe slowly.
2. Wide-Legged Forward Bend C
Standing with your feet wider than your shoulders (three to four feet apart), bring your arms behind your back and clasp your fingers together.
Fold forward at your hips, letting the top of your head and your fingers fall toward the floor.
Stay in this position for five breaths.
According to Pop Sugar, this is a stress-relieving position, which can help if your gas is a factor of stress.
Additionally, this position squeezes your belly, which can help move things along in the digestion process.
3. Open Triangle
In a standing position, spread your legs wide to the sides, facing one of your feet outward.
Keeping your legs straight, bend your body toward the leg that is facing outward and place your inner hand on the floor (if you cannot reach the floor, reach down to your shin instead).
With the other hand, reach toward the ceiling.
Look up to your fingertips and hold the position through five deep breaths.
Open triangle bends and twists your intestinal tract, helping to lessen the bloat in your stomach, explains Pop Sugar.
4. Wind-Relieving Pose
Wind-relieving pose, as signified in the name, is a stretch designed specifically for relieving gas.
Lie on your back on the floor with your hands and legs relaxed.
Bend both knees into your chest, either one at a time or both at once.
Hug your knees tight with your hands, then rock gently side to side.
Stay in this position for five to 10 breaths, then release.
Repeat a few more times.
Art of Living explains that this pose can massage your internal organs and intestines, which can aid digestion and release gas.
5. Standing Toe Touch
Stand with your feet placed firmly on the floor.
Bending at the hips, reach your hands toward your toes.
If you can’t reach the floor, lean forward as far as you can, and balance your hands on a piece of furniture if you need to.
Health explains that this pose can strengthen your spine and back muscles, which will relieve tension in your back and neck.
If your gas pain is affecting your back, this is the position for you.
6. Seated Toe-Touch
Sit on the floor with your feet straight out in front of you.
Bring your legs together, then reach your hands toward your toes.
If you cannot reach your toes, go as far as you can and rest your hands on your legs.
Try to keep your back as straight as possible, even if it means you cannot bend as far forward.
This stretch should be relaxing, and should be a pose that relieves stress in your digestive tract, explains Health.
7. Cat-Cow Stretch
Get down on your hands and knees, keeping your back flat.
Arch your back so your belly button reaches toward the floor, and tilt your head up.
Hold this for 10 seconds, then go back to a flat back.
Next, bend your back so that your spine reaches toward the ceiling, and tilt your head down.
Hold for 10 seconds.
Repeat once more.
Healthy Living explains that this position will stretch your abdominal area in multiple ways, which will get gasses moving.
8. Seated Spinal Twist
Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
Cross one foot over your knee, then bend the other leg in next to you.
Take the arm opposite the knee that is in the air, and place your elbow on the outside of your knee.
Reach your hand toward the ceiling. Reach your other arm behind you, placing your hand on the floor.
Using your elbow to push, turn your head to face the wall behind you.
Like the other twisting stretches, this pose will massage your intestines to help get things moving.
9. Supine Spinal Twist
Lie flat on your back on the floor.
With your arms out to the side, bend one knee and place your foot on the floor.
Keeping your shoulders flat on the ground, drop your raised knee across your body toward the floor.
Hold for 10 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
Again, this pose uses twisting to release painful gas that may be stuck in your intestinal tract.
This will also help stretch out your abdomen.
10. Half Gas Release Pose
This position is very similar to the wind-relieving pose, but as it only uses one leg it may allow you to get a deeper stretch.
Lying flat on your back on the floor, bend one knee up toward your chest.
Grab the back of your knee with your hands and pull it closer to your chest.
Make sure to keep your other leg flat on the floor during this stretch.
Next time you’re experiencing painful gas and bloating, try these 10 poses to relieve your pain!
Do you know any other tricks for relieving gas? Let us know in the comments below!
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