Have you ever wondered if exercising when you have period pain can make it worse or if it can help to relieve pain?
In this article, we explore why exercise could be helpful for period pain and what effect different types of exercises might have.
It's common to experience pain or discomfort before or during your period. For some women pain may start at the beginning of their monthly period. For others, the pain might start a few days before their period. You may have painful cramps, or you might have a sharp pain or dull ache in your tummy area. Cramps may sometimes spread from your tummy to your back or thighs.
Thankfully there are a number of things that you can do to help ease period pain. You might find that different methods, like taking a warm bath, or massaging your tummy area, are helpful. On the other hand, you might be wondering if it’s better to stay active or to stop exercising when you have your period pain.
Exercise has been shown to help ease period pain. If you don’t exercise or have not followed a regular exercise routine and are experiencing painful periods, then now might be a good time to slowly start exercising. Exercise can help you lead a healthier and happier life regardless of your age and if there’s an added benefit of helping to ease your period pains, then why wait?
Exercising at different intensities may work in separate ways, to lower prostaglandins, which helps to ease period pain.
Prostaglandins are present in the uterus (womb), triggering contractions in the wall of the uterus during periods. This in turn, reduces blood flow and oxygen to the tissue in the uterine wall, which is what causes painful cramping.
Moderate to intense exercise can help reduce period pain by increasing substances in the body that fight inflammation and by reducing menstrual flow. This helps to lower the amount of prostaglandins released.
Doing gentler exercises like yoga, can lower stress hormones, such as cortisol, which can reduce the production of prostaglandins.
You’re less likely to be stressed when you exercise. Physical activity has been shown to lift self-confidence and mood, as well as helping to improve sleep and energy. Exercise can do this by calming down the body's "fight or flight" response and by stimulating the body's system responsible for rest and recovery.
Exercise helps reduce pain by releasing endorphins, which are like your body’s own painkillers. It also changes the activity of certain immune cells (called macrophages), making them produce more anti-inflammatory substances. This helps lower inflammation and further reduces pain.
The emotional benefits of exercise can help to reduce the sensation of pain. It can help by distracting you from your pain, shifting your focus away from discomfort, reducing stress, and improving your mood. Additionally, regular exercise can help you feel more in control and empowered, all of which contribute to lessening pain.
Both low and high intensity exercise can reduce the extent of period pain (compared to doing nothing). Which is why experts suggest that if you make exercise a part of your lifestyle, it’s a relatively cost-effective way to help reduce period pain. It's not clear if one type of exercise is better for period pain than another, but some studies have looked into different types of activities and provided the following insights:
Strength training and aerobic activity are both moderate to high-intensity exercises that can influence pain sensitivity and overall physical well-being.
Aerobic exercise: Regular aerobic exercise with moderate intensity can also help with mental, physical relaxation and improve blood flow and improve menstrual symptoms.
Strength training: Strength training may provide relief after 4 weeks.
Muscle relaxation and massage may be some of the most effective ways to relieve period pain when used for at least 1 to 2 months.
If you have no specific exercise preference, choosing relaxation exercises may be right for you, since you may be more likely to continue with them and possibly experience earlier pain relief.
Examples of low intensity exercise are stretching, or core-strengthening, yoga, walking, gentle swimming or cycling may help to ease period pain.
To get a benefit from exercise you need to do a minimum of moderate intensity activity - it must make you feel warmer, breathe faster and raise your heart rate. You can still talk when doing moderate activity, but you should be unable to sing words to a song.
Examples of moderate intensity exercise include:
Vigorous intensity exercise can benefit your health even more than moderate activity. Vigorous means breathing hard and fast with an even higher heart rate than moderate activity, and it's difficult to talk. With increased effort, most moderate activity exercises can become vigorous. High or very vigorous intensity activities are exercises done in short bursts, at your maximum effort, broken up with a rest. This is sometimes called HIIT or interval training.
Examples of vigorous intensity exercise include
Studies showed that, if you exercise a minimum of 3 times per week for 45 to 60 minutes each time, you may experience a reduction in period pain.
Health authorities recommend that adults should spread exercise evenly over 4 to 5 days a week, aiming for:
It’s advisable to speak to your GP before exercising if you’ve been inactive for a while. If you have a medical condition or concerns about exercising, it’s also best to speak to your GP before starting. You’ll need to make sure that the type of exercise and intensity are suitable for you.
Exercise can be added on to other pain relief strategies.
Other ways to relieve period pain include:
For period pain relief try Nurofen Express 200mg Liquid Capsules, which contains ibuprofen and provides up to 8 hours* of pain relief. Ibuprofen has anti-inflammatory properties that interfere with prostaglandin production, the chemicals that are involved in triggering period pain.
*with 400mg dose
Exercising too much or suddenly training hard after not exercising for a while, may cause your periods to become irregular or stop. It's important to speak to a healthcare professional if you have missed periods or your periods have stopped.
Research shows that your ability to exercise should not be affected by your menstrual cycle and that doing regular exercise may reduce painful cramps during periods.
Your energy levels may fluctuate - changing hormone levels can affect women differently. Some women may have less energy during their periods, while others may have more. It may be helpful to keep a fitness journal to record both your menstrual cycle and your energy levels during exercise. This will help you to see if there's a pattern where your levels fluctuate depending on the time of the month. The change in energy levels may be less obvious if you're taking hormonal contraceptives. Once you’re in tune with your body, you could try adjusting your work outs to match your estimated energy levels.
This article is for general information only and not intended as a substitute for medical advice. All information presented on these web pages is not meant to diagnose or prescribe. In all health-related matters, always consult your healthcare professional.
Always read the product label. Use only as directed. Incorrect use could be harmful. If symptoms persist consult your healthcare professional.
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All information presented on these web pages is not meant to diagnose or prescribe. In all health matters please contact your doctor.
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