The most important facts in a nutshell
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- From a medical point of view, you can exercise during your period without worry.
- Regular exercise can relieve PMS symptoms and improve your mood.
- Eat a diet rich in iron and vitamins and listen to what your body is telling you. Don’t overexert yourself!
- Calm sports, such as yoga or gymnastics, can help you with menstrual cramps.
Your stomach is cramping and all you want to do all day is lie in bed with a hot water bottle. The last thing on your mind right now is to do sports… But wait! Your menstruation and sport don’t have to be mutually exclusive. On the contrary, you can find out here why you should exercise during your period and how it can alleviate your menstrual cramps.
For many women it is absolutely unimaginable to do sports during menstruation. You feel tired, have pain and then there are the constant cramps. In addition, your hormones make you feel listless and unable to perform. But that’s exactly when exercise can be the right thing for you, as an international study confirms.
Sport and menstruation – does this work?
From a medical point of view, there is a clear answer: Yes! Sport and the period do not contradict each other – on the contrary. But most women feel unwell, unmotivated and unable to perform before and especially during their period. Especially women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome (also called PMS) have, for example, severe abdominal pain, headaches, mood swings or feelings of tension in the breasts shortly before their period. We completely understand that you want to spend these days relaxing on the sofa with a cup of tea and a hot water bottle. However, regular exercise can help to alleviate PMS symptoms in the long term. Besides, physical exercise improves your mood considerably. The so-called happiness hormones, such as dopamine, endorphin and serotonin, are released.
But even if you can theoretically exercise without worrying, there are a few things you should keep in mind before you start exercising during your period.
Dos and Don’ts
It is important to prepare your body properly so that you can exercise without any problems despite your menstruation.
- Watch your diet: Eat foods rich in vitamins and magnesium.
- Protect yourself: To feel comfortable while exercising during your period, you can use tampons, pads, menstrual cups or similar. Use whatever you feel safest with. Safety first!
- Take enough iron: You lose iron not only during your period, but also when you sweat during exercise. Make sure you take in enough iron – for example, meat, oatmeal or pulses.
- Listen to your body: Only do what you can do. If you don’t feel fit, that’s perfectly OK. Don’t force yourself if you don’t feel well.
If you follow these things, you can start exercising with a clear conscience. Of course, always do as much as feels good for you.
Top female athletes and the period
You’ve probably often wondered how top female athletes combine competitive sports and their periods. One widely used method is the pill. Many athletes take them all the time to avoid bleeding completely. An international study even found that almost half of top female athletes take hormonal contraceptives.
Another option is to adapt your training to the female cycle. In the first half of your cycle you are more efficient and full of energy. In the other half, it’s perfectly normal to have to slow down. But in competitive sports it’s not easy to adapt your training to the female cycle – especially in competitive phases. That’s why this method is still an exception nowadays and the period in competitive sport is a rarely addressed topic.
Menstrual cramps: These types of sport help
We have already shown that sport and your menstruation are not mutually exclusive. But did you know that it also has a positive effect on any discomfort you may have during your period? The muscles of your uterus regularly contract during your period and then expand again, causing abdominal pain and cramps. Light exercise improves the blood supply to your uterus and reduces the need for it to contract spasmodically. As a result, your pain is less intense.
But not all sports are suitable for relieving your menstrual cramps.
Basically, you can do strength training or go running without worrying. But especially if you have cramps and pain, calmer sports are better. Especially if you want to take it easy, yoga is the perfect option for you. There are lots of yoga exercises to help you relax physically and mentally.
But simple gymnastics, stretching or swimming can also relax your muscles and reduce potential menstrual cramps. Our tip: Just try different things and see what works best for you and your body. So what are you waiting for?
