Not sure if you can exercise during your period? Here's what the experts say
Advertisement
Health
Not certain if you can do during your menses? Here's what the experts say
Exercise may help with the cramps and Premenstrual Syndrome symptoms. Simply if you're into yoga inversions, spinning or HIIT, should you lot carry on?
(Photo: Pexels)
21 Jun 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 08 Aug 2022 eleven:05AM)
Dorsum in primary school, I couldn't understand how my classmate Peggy could get our teacher to let her off physical didactics lessons. Did her mother write the PE instructor a note to excuse her every week? Did she suffer from a mysterious ailment? Whenever we asked, she'd blush and look down.
Information technology was an ailment all right – and the mystery was solved when I hit puberty myself. It was Aunt Flo visiting and bearing unsolicited gifts of menstrual cramps and heavy periods.
Now, even as a middle-anile woman, I am notwithstanding bowled over by Aunt Flo's extravagance on some months.
READ: Is heavy menstrual bleeding normal? And what does eating pineapple have to do with information technology?
"Yous shouldn't have," I'd say through gritted teeth every bit I whorl up into a foetal position in bed from the throbbing, abdominal pain – all while worrying about the torrential blood-letting staining the sheets.
The sluggishness also bothers me. There is merely so much lying in bed I tin do, but mustering the energy to step outside for a walk and take my listen off the cramps feels similar wading through breast-deep mud.
Even if I do manage to put on my running shoes, tin can those feel-skilful practise hormones aid to counter menses cramps and other menstrual symptoms?
WHY THE CRAMPS AND PERIOD FATIGUE?
Outset, the lowdown on menstrual cramps. Every month, hormone-like prostaglandins cause the uterus to contract and expel its lining. When prostaglandin levels are higher than usual, your cramps feel more severe, co-ordinate to the Mayo Clinic's website. Very high levels tin can even cause nausea and diarrhoea.
As the lining is shed, the prostaglandin levels taper off, which explains why menstrual cramps typically subside after the first few days of the period.
Endorphins assist to elevate your mood, brand you lot experience amend, and does non bear on the severity of the symptoms experienced during catamenia.
Every bit for the period fatigue affecting your free energy level before and during your menses, it could be your fluctuating oestrogen levels. Oestrogen production rises during the start half of the menstrual cycle and drops during the second half, co-ordinate to Medical News Today's website.
As it dips, oestrogen also brings down your serotonin levels. Information technology is this reduced level of serotonin that can lead to low mood and decreased energy levels.
The same website also noted other possible causes of menstruation fatigue, including depression atomic number 26 levels (or anaemia), nutrient cravings that lead to spikes and dips of your blood saccharide levels, besides as disturbed slumber brought on by period pains and mood changes.
SHOULD Yous OR SHOULD YOU NOT EXERCISE DURING YOUR PERIOD?
My mother didn't write me an excuse alphabetic character from PE, and I haven't refrained from exercising while menstruating. Nor accept I fainted from period-induced anaemia that the aunties have warned me about. Just should other women follow arrange?
There are some truths to the anaemia function, "especially during the first few days when the menstrual menstruation can be heavier", said Dr Zhang Huipei, a family physician and one of the medical directors of Paddington Medical Clinic.
READ: Sharper brain, higher pain threshold – here'south how to accept advantage of your bicycle
"For women who take excessive haemorrhage from their menstruation, this tin can cause non merely low free energy levels, but may too cause giddiness and fainting spells," she said.
Furthermore, the depression oestrogen levels when you start your menstrual bicycle "can contribute to mood swings – though for some women, the irritability, acrimony, anxiety, low, headaches, breast tenderness and back pain from Premenstrual Syndrome (or PMS) may go slightly better after the flow starts", said Dr Zhang.
CAN EXERCISE COUNTER Menstruation BLAHS?
It is very tempting to employ your flow as an excuse to leave of many things, including skipping a conditioning or two. But should you lot? And what about those exercise hormones that yous've read most? Tin they help you become out of your menstruation funk?
The endorphins or "experience-good chemicals produced by the nervous system to cope with pain or stress" might actually assist yous, said Dr Kevin Chua, a medical counselor with Zoey, a health digital platform for women.
"Endorphins assist to elevate your mood, make you lot feel better, and does not affect the severity of the symptoms experienced during menstruation," he said.
Yet, when it comes to strength training, y'all may observe "a perceptible loss in muscular strength" if you're hitting the weights in the outset few days of your menstruation. This can be caused by the depression mood or slight anaemia in women who feel excessive bleeding, said Dr Zhang.
Furthermore, muscle soreness may exist more pronounced after exercising, perhaps due to the "lower outcome of endorphins", she said.
Even without exercising, there are already changes in endorphin levels every bit a upshot of the flow cycle.
This is because endorphin levels, or more specifically, beta endorphins (there are 20 types of endorphins produced in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland), "peak 24 hours before your next period, whereupon the levels decline once again", said Dr Lee Joon Loong, who is also a medical manager of Paddington Medical Clinic, citing a study published in Gynecological Endocrinology.
"Which means that even without exercising, there are already changes in endorphin levels as a result of the menstruation cycle," said Dr Lee.
WHAT SHOULD WOMEN TAKE Note OF WHEN EXERCISING DURING THEIR PERIODS?
If you're keen to maintain your fettle routine during the fourth dimension of the month, comport on. "At that place's no scientific reason you should skip out on your workouts during your period," said Dr Chua.
In fact, it is a good thought to continue with your fitness activities – merely reduce the intensity during the first few days of the menstrual cycle. "The all-time forms of exercise during your period are the ones that you are accepted to and relish participating in," said Dr Zhang.
READ: Trying to do a headstand? Inversion yoga could pb to injuries when done wrongly
But what if your regular conditioning consists of high-intensity exercises such as CrossFit, high intensity interval training (HIIT), high-intensity spinning, or hardcore weight preparation? Consider temporarily swapping them for low-intensity yoga or "light to moderate aerobic activities such as brisk walking or running", recommended Dr Lee.
The above is appropriate, especially if your motivation to exercise isn't high, or you're feeling lethargic or non equally strong as your usual self on the outset day or two of your menses.
But since no two women feel the same menstrual symptoms, do what you feel is appropriate for yourself. "Exercise in moderation and practice not over-exert. Heed to cues from your body and be sensible about the exercise that you choose to practice," said Dr Chua.
A proficient tip to ease yourself into your menstrual bike, fitness-wise, is to include gentle stretching exercises such every bit yoga, Pilates or tai chi before Aunt Flo visits. These exercises may be beneficial in alleviating PMS symptoms, said Dr Zhang.
But agree off yoga inversions during your period, especially if you lot take "a low blood count and borderline anaemia", she brash. "Doing inverted poses in whatsoever form may outcome in fainting spells and falls."
Equally your menstruum comes to an cease, by all means, resume your usual intensity. "Mind to your body and increment the level of intensity gradually," said Dr Chua.
No matter what exercise you're performing, finish when y'all experience giddiness, severe breathlessness, severe pain and/or the sensation of almost-fainting, said Dr Lee. "See a doctor as soon as possible if these symptoms don't self-resolve within five to 10 minutes."
READ: 'Good' vs 'bad' pain: How to tell when your body is saying 'no' while exercising
He added: "Pain is some other good indicator of whether a conditioning is suitable. Stop when information technology feels too painful".
At this bespeak, it is also important to focus on your nutrition. Consider consuming iron-rich foods such as carmine meat and spinach to boost haemoglobin production, suggested Dr Lee.
And don't exist embarrassed, like my classmate Peggy, to exercise while menstruating. There'southward nothing an effective sanitary pad, tampon or even period panties can't solve.
Nor should you feel bad for sitting out on the sidelines if your cramps just aren't cooperating with you. Do whatsoever feels right to you lot and not what some former wives' tales dictate.
READ: Period-proof underwear is a thing – and tin help ladies during awkward moments
Recent Searches
Trending Topics
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/wellness/not-sure-if-you-can-exercise-during-your-period-heres-what-experts-say-249721
0 Response to "Not sure if you can exercise during your period? Here's what the experts say"
Post a Comment