Periods can be a source of monthly dread for some women. As the menstrual cycle begins, the fatigue, bloating, breast tenderness, and uncomfortable cramps make women wish for “that time of the month” to be over as soon as possible. Undoubtedly, women are always looking for remedies that would help relieve period pain.
Now, while the soft warm couch looks very inviting during the distressing time of menstruation, many advice to, in fact, get off it and be more active. Exercise is considered to be one of the optimal ways to deal with period pain.
Read on and discover for yourself if exercise for period pain is a boon or a bluff.
Workout to Relieve Period Pain
Yes, exercise can potentially help with menstrual cramps. While some may say that it is an anecdotal belief, there is enough evidence to support this claim.
In order to feel relief from period pain, many women opt for over-the-counter medications. It wouldn’t be too surprising to find pain relief balms, cramp-relieving roll-ons, pain-easing pills in the bags of girls and women with a regular menstrual cycle.
However, according to a review titled ‘Exercise and primary dysmenorrhoea: a comprehensive and critical review of the literature’, working out during the menstrual cycle may not only reduce dysmenorrhea, that is period pain, but also eliminate or reduce the need for medication to control menstrual cramps and other associated symptoms.
Let us take a look at another evidence supporting exercise for period pain. A study examined 21 sedentary women and 20 women who participated in regular exercise for two complete menstrual cycles. The analysis found that the pain was greater during menses than follicular (time between the first day of period and ovulation) and luteal (time between ovulation and before the start of period) phases in all women. However, women who were exercising reported lesser pain and anxiety during menses as compared to sedentary women. This means any exercise you enjoy may help ease the period pain.
When it comes to exercise, there’s enough evidence that aerobic exercise during the period helps reduce menstrual cramps. Another study examined the effect of aerobic exercise on 97 regular exercisers and 159 non-exercisers during periods. The regular exercisers obtained significantly lower scores on impaired concentration, negative effect, behavior change, and pain.
How Does Exercise Help with Period Pain?
When you exercise, it helps your brain release “feel-good” hormones called endorphins. These are known to act as analgesics, meaning they block pain receptors in your brain. In other words, we can say that by exercising, you produce endorphins that act as sedatives. Also, when women experience menstrual cramps, their uterus contracts so hard that they might cut off some blood flow and send pain signals to the brain.
But, with exercise, the blood circulation increases which opens blood vessels and helps relieve menstrual cramps. With more oxygen and blood pumping through the body, women may even tend to feel energetic during their periods.
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The Best Exercises to do During Period
It is completely understandable and acceptable if a woman feels like resting more rather than being active during her period. But, as exercising offers such pleasant benefits over period pain, it deserves to be given a shot.
As menstruation days can be quite uncomfortable, one needn’t indulge in any heavy workouts. Exercises involving gentle movements are recommended. Below are the best exercises women can consider doing during periods.
Light Cardio – For the first 2-3 days of the period, women can resort to low-intensity cardio exercises or cut down on the time of the workout. Light walking or jogging are two ideal options. According to research, the diffusing capacity of the lungs is better in the latter days of the menstrual cycle when you can opt for comparatively higher intensity exercises.
Low-volume resistance training – You can opt for this type of workout where you cut down the reps of each exercise and take longer rests in between the sets. The workout may turn into a longer flow session, but it would be worth all the time spent.
Yoga – Do some yoga asanas and they will help you relax the mind and the body. Below are asanas that you can do to get relief from period pain.
Uttanasana or Forward Bend – Stand with your feet together with the arms at your side. Take a deep breath and raise your arms to the ceiling. As you exhale, bring your arms down to touch the floor. Make sure you bend forward from your hips and not your back.
Baddha Konasana or Bound Angle Pose – Sit on the floor with your leg straight out. Bend your knees, pulling your heels towards your pelvis. Press the soles of your feet together and drop the knees to the sides.
Balasana or Child’s Pose – Rest on your knees and place your buttocks on your heels. Bowing forward, rest your upper body on the thighs and stretch your arms out in the front to face the palms down on the surface. Further, lower your forehead to touch it to the surface.
Upavistha Konasana or Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend – Sit on the surface with your legs stretched in the front. Stretch your legs to the side as wide as your can. Bend forward, hinging at your hips, and walk your hands forward with the palms facing down. Bring your upper body to the surface keeping your spine straight.
We already know of the many benefits that regular exercising offers to physical and mental health. But, many women skip working out during their periods which in fact keeps them away from the benefits it offers over period pain. So, the next time you see a woman feeling distressed due to menstrual cramps, do not hesitate to advise them to exercise. Let’s know if you had ever thought that exercising can help deal with period pain in the comments below.
Author: Ketki H is a wandering soul who loves travelling solo, and firmly believes in enjoying the journey rather than hurrying to the destination. Although a graduate in Mechanical Engineering, she took to writing for reaching the masses.
References –
- Daley, A. J. (2008). Exercise and primary dysmenorrhoea. Sports Medicine, 38(8), 659-670.
- Hightower, M. (1998). Effects of exercise participation on menstrual pain and symptoms. Women & Health, 26(4), 15-27.
- Aganoff, J. A., & Boyle, G. J. (1994). Aerobic exercise, mood states and menstrual cycle symptoms. Journal of psychosomatic research, 38(3), 183-192.
- Smith JR, Brown KR, Murphy JD, Harms CA. Does menstrual cycle phase affect lung diffusion capacity during exercise? Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2015 Jan 1;205:99-104. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2014.10.014. Epub 2014 Oct 31. PMID: 25447680.
