How advisable is exercise during menstruation?

Most women suffer from discomfort during their period, such as abdominal pain, back pain, headaches, fatigue, and a bad mood. You would prefer to lie snuggled up on the couch or in bed all day eating chocolate and other unhealthy things. Already at school, girls let themselves be excused from physical education during their period. But is this really the ideal solution or might exercise during menstruation even be a good thing?

The female cycle lasts about 25 - 35 days. In the early part of the cycle, estrogen builds up the lining of the uterus bit by bit. During this time, our estrogen level in the blood rises. Towards the end of the cycle, the hormone progesterone prepares for the possible implantation of a fertilized egg. If the egg is not fertilized, menstruation starts, and the cycle begins again. The loss of blood can also lead to iron deficiency.

In principle, it is possible to exercise while on your period. It is important to listen to your body though. If you have severe pain and do not feel well at all, you should not force yourself to exercise. If you are less affected, there is nothing wrong with exercising during your period.

If you don't want to do without sports during menstruation, the best sports are those that train the pelvic floor. These include sports like yoga and Pilates. If the pelvic floor is strengthened through exercise, menstrual pain and heavy bleeding can be reduced. It also normalizes the menstrual cycle.

It is best to set high workout goals for yourself in the phase directly after your period, because we have a lot of strength and energy in this phase.

During your period, of course, you don't have to set any sporting records, but there are some exercises that can help us relax better and ease the pain. These are mainly relaxing and less intense yoga exercises.

This exercise helps against diseases of the female genital organs and relieves menstrual pain. It also opens the heart, increases self-confidence, and relieves anxiety. For this exercise lie on your stomach and support yourself on your hands and elbows. The arms and elbows are close to the body. Press the hands into the floor and lift the body upwards so that the arms stretch.

You can also lift the thighs and knees off the floor. If this places too much pressure on the lower back, keep the knees on the floor. The gaze is directed straight ahead. Relax the neck and bring the shoulders down. Hold the position for 5 breaths. Then lie back on the abdomen, take 1 breath, and repeat the position 3-5 times.

This exercise re-energises, calms the mind, and relieves both headaches and menstrual cramps. First come onto all fours. Place your hands under your shoulders and knees hip-width apart. Next, lift the knees off the floor and push the buttocks and sitting bones towards the ceiling.

Form a triangle between your hands, buttocks, and feet. You can stretch the legs or keep the knees slightly bent. Hold the position for five to eight deep breaths. You can also combine downward-facing dog with the cobra in a flow.

This exercise is suitable for strengthening balance, calming the nerves, and relieving stress. A positive side effect of the seated twist is that the ovaries and abdominal organs are massaged through the twisting movement. For this exercise, get into a seat on your knees, the so-called heel seat.

Now slide next to your left heel and sit with your buttocks on the floor. Then place your right foot next to your left knee. Place the right hand on the floor behind the back. Look back over your right shoulder. Inhale and exhale deeply five to eight times. Then change the position to the other side.

When exercising during menstruation, it is also important to ensure a sufficient supply of iron. During the period, our body loses iron. We also lose iron when we sweat during exercise. With a double effect, as is the case when exercising on your period, we lose twice the amount of iron.

Our body is not capable of producing iron on its own. That is why it is especially important when exercising during menstruation that we regulate our iron supply ourselves through our diet. Foods such as legumes, meat or green leafy vegetables provide our body with iron.

When doing sports while on your period, it is especially important to be properly protected. As a rule, tampons, sanitary towels, and the like offer sufficient protection for sports during your period. Tampons and menstrual cups protect us from the inside and have a lower risk of leakage.

If you have a particularly heavy period and don't want to use tampons or menstrual cups, you have the option of special period underwear. These are briefs with a simultaneous sanitary pad function. Period underwear is especially preferred by women who normally prefer to use pads, because everything is safe, and nothing slips while exercising during menstruation.

It is possible to exercise during your period. Depending on how you feel, your performance may decrease slightly. However, you should not let this put you off. If you listen to your body, you will soon realize what you can and cannot do during your period. You should not overstrain your body during this phase. If you feel that it is too much for your body, you should stop and try again the next day.

However, certain exercises, such as the yoga positions listed above, can provide relief from menstrual cramps. Find out for yourself what feels best. Also, make sure to eat mindfully and get enough iron during your period. Finally, ensure that you are well protected with the right hygiene products to exercise during your period.