Period and Training – Could be combined or better stay home?
Exercise means good health, however, when is the time I should stay home.
Is exercise possible during the days of period?
How menstruation and hormones affect the exercise?
Could period affect my performance?
A female issue comes to our article today. We examine IF and TO WHAT EXTENT physical exercise may go with menstruation. What a woman can do to manage her menstrual cycle properly.
Surely, you have noticed that not all days of month are the same. Some days you feel active and full of energy, while others you feeling like being “completely out of battery” and not having the courage or getting out of bed.
It is not unusual.
Experts provide answers to how hormones (and therefore a woman’s menstrual cycle) affect her energy levels and endurance.
Menstrual Cycle – what it is
What are really the “menstrual cycle” and its meaning for a woman’s body and organism?
The female reproductive system follows a complex function involving the hormonal system aiming at fertilization of the ovum and reproduction.
A menstrual cycle, by definition, is the time starting on the 1st day of a woman’s period (that is, menstruation) and ending on the 1st day of the following month’s period.
A menstrual cycle has not the same duration for all women. There are women with a characteristic short cycle, while others with longer cycle (long period between 2 periods).
However, the average duration of a cycle is about 28 days, while it can range from 21 to 35 days and still being normal.
In cases the menstrual cycle lasts less than 21 days or more than 35 days, it would be good to consult a doctor where (with appropriate hormonal tests) recognizes the problem (if this is am organic malfunction) and provides help for its solution.
In addition to time duration, a period may differ between women in blood flow, as some women show a higher blood flow for a longer time, while others have lower flow and correspondingly shorter time duration.
Usually the menstruation (period) lasts in the majority of women from 3 to 5 days, while in some women it can last only 2 days or even 7 and remaining normal.
Every woman on average will lose about 40 ml of blood during a period, while in certain cases this loss may reach the 80 ml.
The reason for this is that blood lost by a woman during menstruation comes from the rejection of the endometrium. When the ovum matures in the ovary (right or left ovary), the left fallopian tube descends to the corresponding right and moves in the direction of the uterus aiming to fertilization.
At that moment, the levels of hormones produced in the woman’s organism increase sharply to prepare the organism for the upcoming ovum fertilization and therefore for the process of pregnancy.
However, if the ovum not fertilized, the woman does not become pregnant, with the organism leading the endometrium to miscarriage in the form of the known menstrual cycle, “cleansing” everything, for the next cycle leading to a possible fertilization.
Menstrual Cycle – Stages
Below we see the basic stages of the menstrual cycle:
Stage 1 – Ovum Maturation
Stage 2 – Ovulation
Stage 3 – Ovum descent to uterus (fertilized or not)
Stage 4 – Pregnancy or Period (Menstruation)
A repetition of these stages takes place every month from adolescence (from first period of adolescent girl) till menopause.
A woman can (and it is extremely useful) to maintain a record of her periods (frequency, duration, flow, symptoms, abnormalities) so she can more easily identify any problems arising and better recognize her cycle (fertile days, waiting period, possible pregnancy).
Physical exercise and period
Certainly, these 2 – 7 days of a woman’s menstruation are not the most pleasant, as usually – in addition to bleeding – the woman at this stage shows a variety of symptoms (such as pain, nausea, malaise, fatigue, gluttony, agitation, cramps, nervousness, mood swings, dissatisfaction, swelling, bloating, bowel movements, loss of strength hot flashes).
Therefore, it is not that easy to visit the gym during these days.
Most women prefer staying at home, doing absolutely nothing, except maybe consuming a bowl of junk food (salty or sweet).
So, what happens with the exercise? Is affecting the period symptoms or not?
Which type of exercise is most suitable for these days of the cycle?
Some women may tell you that prefer aerobic exercise (jogging or running), as it helps them sweat, produce more endorphins and reduce pain.
In other cases, women prefer for those difficult days of the cycle a milder exercise leading them to relaxation and calm, such as yoga, or for some others the most traditional exercise of the gym with instruments, weights and straps seems to be sufficient.
Exercise generally helps manage the pain and other menstrual symptoms. The more endorphins secreted, the more painless the period.
Though in reality there is no “beneficial or non-beneficial physical exercise” during a woman’s period, we can say that aerobic exercise helps to manage the symptoms to a higher degree.
During the period, organism secretes smaller amounts of female hormones (progesterone & estrogen), resulting to a quest of “fuel” for energy from carbohydrates and glycogen, enabling the organism achieving instant bursts in its training and higher endurance.
Aerobic exercise VS weight training
Especially on days with the highest blood flow, exercise is very beneficial, with the woman being able to control (and eventually reduce) the blood flow (bleeding).
Aerobic training is the most ideal, as helps reduce bleeding due to the reduction of estrogen and adipose tissue stored in organism.
Exercise with organs (weights, straps, resistance, TRX) has not the same positive effect on the body, since the secretion of hormones and the burning of body fat are completely different.
However, no type of exercise proves useless.
Even weight training can offer benefits to body (unlike aerobic training, but just as important).
As already pointed out, weight training cannot reduce the blood flow during a woman’s menstruation, neither can suppress pain (not at least to the extent achieved with aerobic exercise).
However, it can reduce swelling, fluid retention and bloating, also controlling appetite levels and overeating episodes, reducing headaches, increasing energy levels, boosting mood and reducing sensitivity / pain in woman’s chest.
Every woman – as pointed out many times – is different, treating the symptoms of her period differently, so no statement as to right or wrong exercise is possible.
A woman by learning her body could find what suits her best and how to deal with the symptoms afflicting her.
What is certain – and scientifically proven – is that hormones play a catalytic role in a woman’s training and pain management.
As the woman grows older, approaching the normal termination of her periods (menopause) the natural production of hormones by the body decreases characteristically.
This results in an increasing sense of pain during the period.
Chasing the estrogens
The menstrual cycle divided into 2 very basic phases, may also differentiate a woman’s physical condition.
Phase 1: Ovarian phase
Phase 2: Luteal or secretory phase
In the first phase, estrogen predominates hormonally for the purpose of ovulation. The 2nd phase following the ovarian phase (from the 15th to the 28th day of the woman’s cycle) and progesterone dominates hormonally, starts with ovulation, leading to menstruation (or pregnancy).
During the ovarian phase (1st phase: 1st – 15th day of the woman’s cycle) estrogens play the most important role, while at the same time, the levels of the male hormone testosterone in organism rise (also offering androgenic action) for higher efficiency in training.
The increased estrogen during this phase favors the concentration, discipline and self-confidence of the woman, while stimulates her physical endurance and strength.
During the luteal or secretory phase (2nd phase: 15th – 28th day of the woman’s cycle) progesterone comes to first place.
It is a hormone that, now as the predominant hormone (as estrogen levels gradually decrease), leads a woman’s organism to a more painful and difficult condition, with pain, annoying symptoms, fatigue, weakness, lack of energy and endurance.
This is the so-called “menstrual syndrome” accompanied by the known symptoms, physical and psychological. This is the reason for this phase being more difficult for effective training and many women prefer to abstain from the gym.
A woman does not need to feel guilty for this, as this is a perfectly justified physiological strain on the organism.
Therefore, if you do not have the courage for painful and exhausting training in those days there is no problem. In fact, personal trainers recommend less intense exercises, avoiding intense cardio-respiratory activity, at least till you regain your strength, reducing the injury possibility.
