Can you exercise during your period? Both sides of the debate have their reasons:
For Exercise:
🙆🏻♀️ There are those 5 to 7 days each month when your hard-earned exercise routine is interrupted, and it can be quite frustrating...
🙆🏻♀️ During your period, you might experience increased appetite and a surge of "guilt" when you indulge, along with weight gain. If you don't exercise, will you just get fatter?
Against Exercise:
🙅🏻♀️ You might feel particularly weak during your period, unable to lift weights or perform aerobics. Is it really good for you to exercise at this time?
🙅🏻♀️ There's also the concern that exercising during your period might reduce menstrual flow or even cause it to stop.
Today, I'll start by stating clearly: It is okay to exercise during your period! In fact, appropriate exercise can help reduce various discomforts associated with menstruation.
If you're still unsure about whether to exercise during your period or how to do it, read on.
At the end, I've also prepared a helpful tip to assist you in exercising better and improving your mood during your period, so be sure to read to the end!
Moderate Exercise During Menstruation Is More Comfortable Than Just Lying Around
The most important point first: Appropriate exercise during your period can actually help alleviate menstrual pain, elevate mood, and enhance the quality of life during these days.
Firstly, appropriate exercise can promote blood circulation in the pelvic area, reduce uterine contractions during menstruation, thereby reducing the secretion of prostaglandins, which helps alleviate menstrual pain [1].
Exercise can also lower the levels of cortisol, known as the "stress hormone," and release endorphins, the "happiness hormones," which can effectively alleviate mood swings and irritability during menstruation [2].
However, there is one major prerequisite for exercising during your period:
- No severe dysmenorrhea or discomfort
- A regular menstrual cycle and flow
So, I also advise all you "fitness commandos" to take it a bit easier. If you feel back pain, nausea, weakness, and have no desire to exercise during your period, don't force yourself. It's more important to get through your period comfortably.
Two Types of Exercise Recommended for Your Period
✅ Low to Moderate Intensity Aerobic Exercise
Low to moderate intensity aerobic exercises, such as jogging and cycling, can not only relax muscles that are tense due to discomfort but also promote blood circulation in the pelvic area, helping to alleviate premenstrual physical discomfort.
They can also help shorten the duration of bloating and cramps during the mid-cycle [3].
✅ Specific Yoga Poses
Some research has found that certain yoga poses can help alleviate menstrual discomfort. For example, Child's Pose can help alleviate fatigue and bloating associated with premenstrual syndrome, while Cobra Pose can help improve mood [4].
Two Types of Exercise Not Suitable During Menstruation
❌ High-Intensity Exercise
If you're used to high-intensity workouts, it's best to pause them during your period.
A retrospective study in 2012 found that many women who continued high-load exercise during their period experienced menstrual disorders or even amenorrhea [3].
Therefore, during your period, it's best to avoid activities like long-distance running (marathons), CrossFit, boxing training, and high-intensity HIIT workouts, and resume them after your period has ended.
How do you determine if the exercise intensity is too high?
✅ You can judge from subjective physical sensations (if any of the following three conditions occur, consider taking a break):
- Deep and rapid breathing
- Starting to sweat within a few minutes of activity
- Having to stop to catch your breath after saying a few words
✅ You can also judge by heart rate
The heart rate during exercise should not exceed 85% of your maximum heart rate. (*Maximum Heart Rate = 220 minus your age)
❌ Vigorous and Contact Sports
Some intense, contact sports, such as bungee jumping and skydiving, should also be avoided during your period. For beginners, these risky types of sports can cause the body to involuntarily secrete adrenaline, which may disrupt the physiological rhythm of the menstrual cycle.
Of course, if you are a seasoned "extreme athlete" whose body has adapted to these hormonal changes, you can naturally continue your training.
Swimming and Strength Training During Menstruation: Proceed at Your Own Capacity
✅ You Can Swim, But Keep Warm
Swimming, a typical low-intensity aerobic exercise, can also help alleviate menstrual discomfort.
Many girls worry about the "uncleanliness" of pool water. Both indoor and outdoor swimming pools usually add halogen elements—chlorine or bromine—to the water. These chemicals can kill bacteria and other microorganisms that accumulate in warm, moist pools.
Therefore, in a treated pool, as long as you change your tampon or menstrual cup promptly, the chances of infection are very low. However, it is also recommended to choose a clean pool during your period and avoid swimming in outdoor waters.
Many girls may experience temporary amenorrhea after swimming during their period. This is due to the pressure of the water, which resists the force of gravity and slows down the flow of menstruation. If there are no other physical discomforts, there is no need to be overly concerned.
✅ Gradual Strength Training
Once your period is halfway over and discomfort subsides, as your strength and energy gradually return to normal, strength training can be reintroduced into your exercise routine.
Of course, the type and intensity of exercise vary from person to person. Women who have been training for years and have almost no menstrual discomfort can more freely choose their preferred exercises.
If you consider yourself a beginner or have more noticeable menstrual discomfort, it is also recommended to exercise more cautiously during your period, respecting your body's feelings.
Keeping a Menstrual Journal Can Help You Better Understand Yourself
Finally, I also want to share a little tool with all you Keepers: a menstrual exercise journal.
You can choose a calendar, a small notebook, or use a sports watch and a mobile app.
Record your diet, exercise, physical sensations, and emotional state every time "Aunt Flo" visits.
For example:
- Do you have any physical discomfort symptoms like abdominal pain or nausea during your period?
- What exercises did you do during your period and for how long?
- How did you feel after the exercise?
Don't underestimate this method of recording. After consistently recording for 3 to 5 months and looking back, it can help you find exercises that are more suitable for your body during your period.
I hope that by the end of this article, you can have a "smooth" period every time.
Share this article with your "fitness partner" and plan to "work out and de-stress" together next month!
