[benefits inside] can i still exercise when my period comes
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“The pain during menstruation is something that guys, who have never experienced menstrual cramps, will never understand.” This is a phrase that many girls have probably said, and many boys (including single ones) have probably heard.
“There are always a few days each month when you don't want to or can't move!” This is not an excuse... Of course, some girls don't have such strong reactions, but the mood swings during menstruation and the advice from parents and friends make it difficult for girls to continue exercising during their period. So, how should we deal with this troublesome visitor and make it coexist peacefully with exercise? Can you run during your period? What should you pay attention to when exercising during menstruation? Let me, an experienced exerciser, explain in detail.
Whether it's suitable to run during menstruation depends on your physical condition. However, it is certain that during your period,intense exercise is not recommended..
Moderate running can improve body function, promote blood circulation, improve blood supply to the pelvic reproductive organs, and through the contraction and relaxation of the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles during exercise, it can massage the uterus and promote menstrual blood discharge. Moreover, jogging can release endorphins (positive mood factors) in the body, which helps improve mood swings during menstruation. In other words, low to moderate intensity and appropriate amounts of running will not negatively affect your menstrual cycle or physical condition during menstruation.
Additionally, jogging helps increase tryptophan in the blood, promoting serotonin levels in the brain, which can reduce irritability and moodiness. However, those who do not usually exercise should control their exercise volume and stop immediately if they feel uncomfortable.
Reminder: The above analysis is for normal situations; women with special conditions are not included.
In the early stages of menstruation, many women experience physical discomfort. Therefore, it is recommended to rest for the first three days of your period. If you really want to move, you can decide on the form of exercise based on your condition, focusing on gentle, relaxing, and stretching exercises such as meditative yoga, beginner aerobics, or simple stretching at home. These light exercises can help blood circulation and relieve stress. During exercise, avoid putting pressure on the abdomen and lifting your legs too high. If you feel tired or notice a sudden increase or decrease in bleeding, stop exercising immediately.
On the fifth day of menstruation, the body begins to recover, and you can start doing aerobic exercises like walking or jogging. However, avoid sports that involve heavy lifting or intense activity. In other words, running three to five kilometers at a normal pace is fine, but if your period coincides with a marathon or trail race, you should gauge your ability and not push yourself.
Due to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, your exercise capacity also changes. Research has shown that aerobic capacity and overall fitness are strongest during the luteal phase, followed by the follicular and ovulation phases, and weakest during the premenstrual and menstrual phases. In other words, your exercise capacity slightly decreases during your period.
If you participate in a marathon during this time, it will usually be more uncomfortable and you won't run as fast.
Although some exercise is allowed, high-intensity and high-volume exercises (such as interval running, weighted jumping, and incline sit-ups) should be avoided or reduced during the early stages of menstruation to prevent worsening menstrual cramps or increasing bleeding, and to avoid infections or inflammation caused by menstrual blood backflow.
However, as forthose who say that running during menstruation will cause irregular periods or infertility, I just laugh.Research has shown that high-intensity training during menstruation can lower certain hormone levels, while jogging does not change these hormone levels.
There is a widespread belief online that the last two days of menstruation and the week after are called the “fat-burning benefit period,” during which exercise results in higher fat consumption and more noticeable fat loss. Is this true? There is some truth to this, as fluctuations in hormone levels can change energy consumption, but the timing may not be very precise.
Research has found that during menstruation, moderate-intensity exercise at 60% of maximum oxygen uptake consumes more liver glycogen (a form of stored sugar in the body) than during the follicular phase. In other words, exercising during menstruation can consume more sugar than exercising after menstruation.
Another study pointed out that the ovulation phase (which occurs on average on the 12th day of the menstrual cycle and lasts about 48 hours) increases fat utilization.
Overall, hoping to gain a slight fat loss advantage at a specific time is unrealistic. Adopting a long-term healthy lifestyle is the key to weight loss.
Reduce exercise volume: Participate in familiar and regularly practiced exercises, such as jogging and yoga, which are gentle and relaxing.
Shorten exercise time and slow down: Reduce exercise volume to relax muscles.
Avoid intense and high-impact exercises: During menstruation, avoid high jump, long jump, 100-meter sprint, and soccer, as well as strength training that increases abdominal pressure, such as push-ups and dumbbells, to prevent excessive bleeding, menstrual blood backflow, and even changes in uterine position.
Avoid water sports: Do not participate in diving, swimming, and water polo, even with tampons, because women are more susceptible to infections during menstruation due to lower immunity and the high bacteria content in swimming pools. Also, avoid cold showers and washing feet with cold water to prevent menstrual irregularities.
Avoid highly competitive sports: Participating in these sports during menstruation can cause endocrine disorders due to high mental stress, leading to menstrual irregularities.
Finally! The exercise you should avoid the most during menstruation is... you know what. (Although it's a good aerobic exercise, it's best to avoid it during menstruation, or the scene might be too much to handle...)
In summary, for women with normal periods and no significant discomfort, running during menstruation is not absolutely forbidden. It depends on your condition and physical tolerance. Moderate running can actually help improve physical and mental states during menstruation. For women who feel significantly unwell during their period, there is no need to force yourself to exercise.
If you're unlucky enough to have your period during a marathon, be extra cautious. Although some runners have successfully completed races, it's wiser to forgo participation. Those who encourage you to push through are likely men who have never experienced menstruation!
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