Exercise and Your Period

What You Need to Know to Go with the Flow

-- By Liza Barnes, Health Educator

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There are many benefits to exercising during your period. Working out can help:

Decrease the pain of cramps by releasing endorphins (the body's natural painkillers), increasing blood flow, and by loosening muscles in your lower abdomen, back, and thighs.
Rid your body of excess water so you aren’t bloated.
Improve and stabilize your mood, making you less anxious, angry, or depressed.

Of course, there are even more benefits to a regular exercise program. By exercising consistently, you may be able to achieve a lighter and shorter menstrual flow, a lower incidence of mood swings, and a stronger pelvic floor, which can better support your reproductive organs.

The following suggestions will help you develop a synergy between menstruation and exercise, so you can optimize your workouts, and your periods.

If you are just beginning an exercise program, and you suffer from cramps and other period-related issues, then start out slowly. Make sure you're listening to your body and not overdoing it.
Increase exercise around your period, which will improve oxygen circulation throughout the body.
Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.
Avoid lots of salt (but use spices, especially spicy ones, liberally).
Avoid refined sugars and fried foods.
Avoid caffeine—it can make cramps worse.
Get plenty of sleep.
Use heat to relieve cramps so you can get to the gym and stick to your workouts.

When to Talk to Your Health Care Provider
If you try all of the above suggestions and your periods are still painful, listen to your body. Take a few days off if you need to, or focus on non-pelvic body parts, like your biceps and triceps. If your period symptoms are so rough that they're hindering you from performing your daily activities, then you should see your women’s health care provider.

Some women are concerned that if they exercise too much, their periods will stop altogether. If your periods are not regular, or seem to be fading away, see your doctor. But keep in mind that if you're not a vigorously-training athlete, exercise is probably not the cause of your cycle irregularity. Exercise-induced amenorrhea usually occurs in athletes who train vigorously, like long-distance runners (more than 30 miles a week), but it's thought to be triggered by the loss of body fat (fat cells are essential for hormone production), rather than exercise itself. Assuming that your menstrual irregularities are due to exercise might mean that other treatable causes get ignored. Amenorrhea can be dangerous to your overall health and warrants a visit to your women’s health care provider, as it can cause premature osteoporosis, infertility, and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

What I hoped to convey to those fourth-grade kids is what I hope to convey to you: exercising during your period will not result in physical damage, and it is safe and beneficial (unless your physician advises against it). And more importantly, that your body is amazing! If you respect your body by understanding it, listening to it, and caring for it, it will serve you well for a lifetime.

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About The Author

Liza Barnes
Liza has two bachelor's degrees: one in health promotion and education and a second in nursing. A registered nurse and mother, regular exercise and cooking are top priorities for her. See all of Liza's articles.

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Member Comments

AUDENITAG

I think this all depends on the person and where they are in life. I am 46 and in the Peri-menopause stage. Every month is different and exercise isn't always possible. And yep I talked to my Doctor and she advices that I do what I can when I can. If you wonder why I said exercise isn't always possible it's because I also get migraines. - 4/22/2013 5:48:02 PM
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PEPPER22

Had horrible cramps this morning so I popped some ibuprofen and did a moderate weight training dvd. I felt so much better afterwards and I'm still feeling pretty good several hours later! - 3/21/2013 3:10:00 PM
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CIRANDELLA

I noticed that when I went through menopause, my period turned into a question mark.

Thanks...I'll be here all week! - 3/14/2013 6:59:52 PM
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JESSALYN1186

Caffeine will not make cramps worse. Midol and those types of menstral medications include caffeine for this exact reason.

Otherwise great article. - 3/14/2013 12:41:23 PM
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MISSY563

Exercising during period days can get anyone exhausted very fast. Iron pills need to be taken by every woman.If staining is an issue,use period panties during exercise.Me and my friends use adira period panties.They do a good job. - 3/5/2013 1:17:09 AM
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LITTLEMSMUFFET

Please have your iron levels checked. Women who regularly have low iron levels tend to have heavier flow--not the other way around. If you get the iron level right-your flow (many times) will be lighter. - 2/22/2013 7:13:37 AM
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ASPELLWEAVER

my problem with my period was NOT just the fatigue but the fact my flow was so heavy just takin a step would result in me dropping golf ball clots(srry for the TMI) wearing depends and resting because all i could do was sleep
i didnt want to exercise and fgot let go of many jobs for missing a week every month
thank goddess my doctor and i are working for a solution...ultras
ounds (external and internal) all have come back clear so birth control pills it is - 1/2/2013 11:27:32 PM
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SPARK_JO

it's all nice, but for those of us who can barely walk despite having very understanding doctors and tried basically everything, exercise is just impossible. and having to take a full week of "off" time every 28 days makes it hard to exercise regularly.

"Luckily" for me, I'm also suffering from nausea that week and it's stronger than the cravings. - 12/17/2012 2:41:23 PM
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NKOUAMI26

This has definitely been an interesting article to read. There are lot of things I learned. Thank you! - 10/13/2012 3:15:08 PM
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DRB13_1

Nicely written! I love that you included a jump rope in the puberty kit - too many girls reduce or stop exercising at that age and it is so vital to be active for life! - 6/23/2012 8:45:30 AM
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KLSIMPSON70

Love this article! Managing cramps is one of my main motivators for exercising. I've learned over the last year or so that my cramps are less frequent and less severe when I've gotten plenty of exercise during the month. - 5/15/2012 10:25:38 AM
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VISUALLYRICS

This is so true! What a great article.
Fitness has enabled me to enjoy a mild period, actually given me energy through the PMS symptoms and decreased even the usual mild symptoms.
When I approach that monthly period, I head to the gym. I love how fitness has changed my life! - 3/9/2012 9:08:28 AM
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CSHAFER23

I am in my early 20s and have always had a heavy flow and bad cramps. When I was younger, my parents would let me not go to school when I started my period so I would just sleep all day and use a hot pad to control my crazy hurtful cramps. Then, when I got into highschool and had committments like meetings and work, I finally caved in and started taking Tylenol. I switched it up from tylenol to midol to pamprin and etc. Now nothing works! My cycle is like 31 days long and my period is 6 days. Vicodin is not even taking away the pain! Everyone suggests I get on birthcontrol but I am somewhat a hippie and will not use it.
After reading this article, I remembered when I joined the military and went to bootcamp. All the girls said that most female soldiers did not get their period during training due to exercise and stress. This actually was true-most of the girls never got their period or only spotted a little. Mine ended up being regular but I did not have cramps once. I am going to try to be motivated this month and keep with my workout plan and see if it helps my cramps! - 1/15/2012 10:09:45 PM
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HANNAH_CALM

Heat makes my cramps worse. I like to roll my underwear down to just above my pubic area, so I can cool down as much as possible. And I take cool baths sometimes. I'm able to exercise every day of my period. It helps if you start early, before the cramps become intense. And take any medications or supplements that help you. - 1/3/2012 10:00:00 PM
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SUPERGIRL1979

Wow, and here I thought I was the only one that had trouble during my menstral cycle while exercizing and fighting cravings for cookies and milk!! This has really shed some light in a lot of ways, keep up the great info!!! - 8/28/2011 12:55:29 PM
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