During menstruation, you may feel more easily fatigued yet have difficulty sleeping. You might experience bloating, constipation, cramps, headaches, or lower back pain. These menstrual symptoms can affect daily activities, including exercise.
Is It Okay to Exercise During Menstruation?
Every woman experiences different menstrual symptoms, with varying intensity and pain levels. As a result, the need for exercise may differ from person to person.
In general, exercising during menstruation is safe and not prohibited. However, it is important to adjust the type, duration, and intensity of exercise according to your menstrual symptoms.
If you feel excessively tired, consider reducing cardiovascular workouts or lowering the intensity of resistance training. Over-exercising may also affect your menstrual cycle and contribute to delayed periods.
Benefits of Exercising During Menstruation
Exercising while on your period offers several health benefits, including:
- Physical activity can help reduce mood swings and promote emotional well-being.
- Research suggests that exercising during menstruation can enhance muscle strength.
- Moderate exercises such as walking may help alleviate menstrual cramps.
- Hormonal changes during menstruation can cause fatigue, but exercise has been shown to enhance energy levels and reduce tiredness.
Tips for Exercising During Your Period
Exercising during your period offers many benefits, so there's no need to skip your yoga class or gym session. Here are some tips for staying active during menstruation:
- Choose light exercises that focus on stretching and flexibility, such as yoga, Pilates, walking, or even swimming.
- Stay hydrated by drinking enough water before, during, and after exercise to compensate for fluid loss.
- Consider taking over-the-counter pain relievers to manage menstrual cramps, allowing you to exercise more comfortably.
- Monitor your menstrual flow and change pads, tampons, or menstrual cups regularly to maintain hygiene and prevent leakage.
So, if you want to continue exercising during your period, feel free to visit the gym or practice yoga as you normally would. However, if you experience unusual symptoms during your period, such as foul-smelling discharge, a burning sensation when urinating, fever, or severe pain, consult a doctor.
If you need medical advice or a consultation, you can visit a doctor in person or use the consultation features available in the Ai Care application by downloading it from the App Store or Play Store.
Looking for more tips and tricks for health, first aid, and other home remedies? Click here!
- dr. Monica Salim
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Sara Lindberg (2018). Can You Exercise on Your Period?. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-during-period
WebMD (2022). Signs Your Period Is Coming. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/women/pms/signs-your-period-is-coming
Better Health Channel. Exercise and mental health. Available from: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/exercise-and-mental-health
Beth Sissons (2020). 12 period symptoms that should not be ignored. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/12-period-symptoms-not-to-ignore