Exercise is essential for a healthy body and mind. There are instances though when people think they should not exercise. Many women who exercise regularly take a break when they have their periods. It is true that women experience several annoying symptoms right before and even during periods, like cramps and all that, but that should not keep them from doing some exercise. Keep reading to learn why exercise is important and what you can do during periods.

Is It a Good Idea to Exercise During Periods?

Yes, it is important to exercise before and during period because it actually proves extremely beneficial in dealing with premenstrual syndrome. Many women even find relief from cramps that they experience during period. That happens because exercise release endorphins that help you with pain. What's more, exercise also helps improve your mood by decreasing depression, reduces water retention, and makes you feel better physically. That is why you should exercise regularly, including period time.

How to Exercise While on Your Period

While it is a good idea to exercise during periods, you should keep a few things in mind to be on the safer side. Here is more about it:

1. Use the Appropriate Form of Protection

The biggest concern for women who exercise with period is what if they leak. Doing certain exercises may increase the flow of blood, but you can make use of specific tools to keep things under control.

For starters, do not use pads or panty liners; instead, opt for tampons and menstrual cups for better protection. Simply insert a new tampon before you start your exercise session. You can even use both and wear a panty liner with a tampon or menstrual cup.

2. Wear Appropriate Clothing

Wearing the right clothes is important to keep you leak-free while doing your exercise. Do not wear shorts and go for pantsin a dark color. Yoga pants and sweat pants are always a better choice than bike shorts and leggings. You can add an additional protective layer by wearing boy-short type panties underneath your pants. Finally, wear loose-fitting tops if you do not want others to notice your bloated tummy.

3. Try Some Stretching

Stretching before exercise will help ease cramps. You should also try some yoga poses, such as the cat pose and knee-to-chest pose after workouts to reduce cramps. A cat pose involves crouching on all fours and tucking your head while arching your back. Similarly, a knee-to-chest pose involves lying on your back and then brining your knees to your chest – hug your calves using your arms for a perfect stretch.

4. Stay Hydrated

It is important to keep your body hydrated all the time, but it is even more important to do it when you want to exercise during periods. You should drink water before, during, and after your workouts. This will prevent exhaustion and headaches.

5. Select Right Types of Activities

As mentioned already, you will benefit a lot if you exercise with your period. However, you need to take precautionary measures and know what activities you can do when you are having your period. Here is more about some activities that will help keep you active without making you pushing your limits:

• Walking

You can just have a short walk to keep yourself active, but a walk before a strenuous workout will make things easier if you are having your period. This reduces the risk for injury. While you may not end up burning many calories, you will still manage to keep yourself active and know that you have exercised a bit.

• Running

You may want to go for a jog if you feel like doing it. The idea is to make your body hard enough to release endorphins that help you deal with cramping and other ickies associated with the period.

• Yoga

The best thing about yoga is that there are always some poses considering your fitness and skill level. Many people think you should avoid inversions during your period, but there is no medical basis for it. Even if you want to believe it, you can find many other yoga poses to have a good workout session.

• Aerobics

If you like to go a little crazy on your period, you may want to try aerobic. An aerobic exercise gives you the license to let loose. You can find many aerobics classes in your local area, but look for ones where the focus is on fun.

• Dancing

You may not call it the real form of exercise, but it definitely helps to increase your heart rate, which in turn helps burn some calories. You can try dancing if you do not feel like hitting the gym while having your periods. Taking those dancing classes in the evening will definitely help make you feel fabulous.

• Planking

One simple exercise during periods is planking. You do not need to go out of your room to get in a plank position. Get down on the floor and lay with your arms and elbows under your chest. Raise your body and hold it in place with the help of your forearms and toes. Hold this position. You can get in a plank position while watching your favorite show – hold this position every time there is a commercial break.