Painful cramps and back pains are just some of the woes women endure during their menstrual period. However, this time of the month can have its benefits too especially when it comes to your body workouts.
It is a misconception that exercise and menstruation do not go well together. On the contrary, your period is the best time to put on your running shoes or tackle those gruesome HIIT workouts with gusto.
According to CrossFit and Aaptiv trainer Meg Takacs, women's hormonal conditions are at its ideal for running, scheduling high-intensity (HIIT) and sprint workouts during their period. The biological explanation is that there is a reset in the female hormonal cycle during menstruation. Adeeti Gupta, MD, founder of Walk In GYN Care in New York City, explains that the estrogen has started to rise during this period and the "other hormones are at a stable baseline."
"The hormonal symphony is a complicated topic, but essentially a woman's energy and libido is primed during or just after the period."
Moreover, energy is replenished faster during this time of the month, which allows women to exert more effort in the workouts. This is because the body temperature is lower and glycogen is broken down faster during the menstrual period.
Most especially, running during the follicular phase can result in more mileage covered than the usual. At this point, premenstrual bloating and the sluggish feeling that leads up to the period are gone, replaced by empowered energy because at this point the hormone levels have started to rise again.
Another benefit of exercise during the period is that it alleviates cramps. Dr. Gupta says that it warms and relaxes the spasm in the pelvic muscles that results to the painful menstrual cramps. Exercise also increases blood flow to the pelvic organs. Tia Guster, MD, an OB/GYN at Piedmont Healthcare, adds that exercise further soothes the uterus because it releases endorphins and raises body temperature.
A point of concern to watch out for though is heavy bleeding. Running or performing high-intensity workouts in this condition can leave you feeling drained and lethargic. This is especially risky for people with anemia since it means fewer red blood cells carrying oxygen travel to your muscles. This can leave them gasping for breath, feel dizzy, and worse make them faint. The important thing is you know your body's capabilities and limitations in tackling physical workouts regardless if it is during your period or not.
