Many say that exercise is a magical solution because it can help to keep you healthy in many ways. Besides helping you to lose weight and looking trim, it can keep the heart healthy, prevent sickness or injuries, improve energy and mood levels, relieve chronic pain, aid sleeplessness, and more. If you are a woman, this activity can also help with your monthly period. How does exercising affect your period?
Menstruation or menstrual period generally last for three to five days. This is the time when your body sheds uterine tissue and blood. The first day will mark day one of the menstrual cycle and this usually last twenty-eight to thirty-eight days for most women. The level of estrogen hormone will increase throughout the first half of your monthly cycle as the uterine lining becomes thicker in preparation for pregnancy. In addition, the hormone fluctuations can cause an egg to be released from one of your ovaries. The egg will travel to the uterus or womb for fertilization. Your hormone level will decrease, the egg disintegrates and your period will start if fertilization does not occur.
How Does Exercising Affect Your Period?
Light exercises such as walking, yoga and swimming can help to improve circulation as well as alleviate cramps and digestive distress if you are suffering from bloating or painful cramps during menstruation. Exercising will also release endorphin which will help to get rid of fatigue, headaches and cranky mood. When you work up a sweat monthly, this can curb your constant cravings for junk items to prevent weight gain.
In addition to that, exercising can have a negative effect on monthly period. This is especially true for the strenuous workouts which put physical demands on the body to affect the menstrual cycle and hormonal levels in different ways.
If you are exercising obsessively or excessively and your body weight percentage is lower than what is normal for your height, your body can go in rescue mode. Since you will use a lot of energy to work out, your body will start to shut down all the unnecessary function to keep up. Menstruation is not important to your body so it will turn off this function in order to save energy.
Thankfully you don’t have to worry about this too much as your menstruation can return to normal if you cut down on your exercise and give your body the calories and nutrition that it needs. Bear in mind that you can also have problems with absent period if your body weight percentage is a lot higher than what is normal for your height.
If you believe that exercising is having a negative effect on your period, you should consult a gynecologist or a doctor.
