Jun 4, 20212 min read

Exercising & Hormones Part 1 - Periods

Updated: Aug 31, 2021

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be looking at how exercise can affect your hormones, and how hormones affect your exercise. Part 1 is all about exercising on your period. We'll also be looking at exercise and the menopause and exercising for fertility.

Part 1 - Should I exercise on my period?

Whether your period arrives with a truckload of pain or not, the thought of doing exercise at this time may make you want to bury yourself even further under the duvet with a packet of chocolate digestives and a hot water bottle.

But I speak from experience when I say that it is definitely worth peeling back the duvet, brushing the crumbs out of your hair and dragging yourself to an exercise class or doing one of our online workouts. And here’s why...

Combat period pain

Regular exercise may lessen symptoms like fatigue and mood swings leading up to your period and even a light walk can help to decrease the discomfort. Exercise can alleviate cramps, headaches and back pain which we often suffer with during our period.

Get those endorphins flowing

The natural high you get from exercise can act as a painkiller, giving some relief from period pain. The endorphins released after exercise also elevate your mood and make you feel so much better.

Use the hormone power

A study has found that we are stronger and more powerful in the first half of our cycle (starting day one of our period) so make the most of the surge in hormones to feel super-human.

So what is the best exercise to do when you’re on your period? If you bleed heavily during the first few days, you may feel more comfortable with some gentler exercise like Pilates, yoga or walking. Basically whatever you feel like doing is a winner.

Some people find that moderate exercise can feel much harder during your period so listen to your body and ease back a little on the intensity of your exercise during this time. For some, sticking to their routine is the best way to fight fatigue and PMS symptoms but for others it’s a good idea to vary what you do leading up to and during your period.

One thing’s for sure though, stopping exercise completely during your period is definitely not a good idea. Be kind to yourself, do what feels right and make sure you give yourself good recovery time.

Check out our face to face class at www.gemmapearcefitness.co.uk/timetable and our online sessions here - https://www.gemmapearcefitness.co.uk/plans-pricing

Coming up this week!