Exercise and Your Menstrual Cycle

Recognising the connection between exercise and your menstrual cycle can enhance your fitness routine and boost your overall well-being, here’s how…

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There is a big misconception that during your period you're meant to be resting and taking it easy, whilst actually science tells us the opposite. Understanding the relationship between exercise and your menstrual cycle can help you optimise your fitness routine and overall well-being. We will explore how your cycle should influence the different types and intensities of exercise, provide tips for exercising during different phases, and highlight the benefits of staying active throughout your menstrual cycle. We also speak about the importance of tracking your cycle and bleed pattern - not just to boost your performance but to bio-hack your health. 

Every body is different and your cycle is unique to you and your phases may differ to the 'generic' lengths outlined here.

- The Menstrual Cycle Phases -

To understand how exercise affects the menstrual cycle, it’s crucial to know the different phases:

Menstrual Phase (Days 1-5)

This is when bleeding occurs. Hormone levels, particularly estrogen and progesterone, are at their lowest. To confuse things a little, this is also the first half of your follicular phase.

Follicular Phase (Days 1-13)

Begins on the first day of menstruation and lasts until ovulation. Estrogen levels start to rise, leading to increased energy and strength. The follicular phase is also known as the low hormone phase.

Ovulation (Day 14)

The release of an egg from the ovary. Estrogen peaks, and there is a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH).  Occurs around the midpoint of the cycle and lasts 24-48 hours

Luteal Phase (Days 15-28)

After ovulation, progesterone levels rise, which can cause fatigue and decreased performance for some.

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- How Exercise Affects the Menstrual Cycle -

Always listen to YOUR body. No two women are the same especially when it comes to our menstrual cycle. Intuition plays a huge part in this and if you feel you need to rest when you're 'supposed' to feel energised, then rest, and vice versa.  

- Menstrual Phase, Days 1 to 5 -

*first half of your follicular phase

Great time for: Power workouts. Don't be fooled by all the ads you see telling you to take it easy whilst you're on your period. During this phase energy levels are high and it's a great time lift weight and do some high intensity training, think HIIT workouts and plyometrics You've got this. BUT, during menstruation many women experience symptoms like cramps and fatigue so it’s essential to listen to your body and rest or opt for lighter workouts if that feels appropriate for you.

- Follicular Phase, Days 6 to 13 -

*second half

Great for: Highest intensity workouts and heavy lifts. Once you've stopped menstruating you can crank it up a notch. This phase is where you can really push it, if you're doing HIIT training think about reducing your rest times, if you're incorporating sprint training into your workouts this is when to do. If you're ready for some heavier lifting then this is the perfect time of the month to do so. The rise in estrogen levels boosts energy, strength, and endurance. Many women find they can push themselves harder and recover faster during this time all the way to ovulation. 

- Ovulation, Day 14 -

Great for: Personal bests. Due to the peak in estrogen in the days leading up to ovulation, women might feel a peak in physical performance. The days leading up to ovulation are a great time for personal bests and challenging workouts, which is perfect because you've just had the opportunity to build up to this in the following phases. Again, some women may feel the opposite, and this where tracking comes in really useful to workout how YOU feel during your cycle.

- Luteal Phase, Days 15 to 28 -

After ovulation, progesterone levels rise causing many women experience fatigue and reduced performance. You could simply continue your normal training and reduce the insensity, or it could be beneficial for your unique physical and mental response to switch to more steady state cardio like swimming, cycling, or moderate-intensity exercises like pilates and yoga. Focus on maintaining consistency rather than intensity. Gentle exercise can also help manage PMS symptoms, including mood swings and bloating. 

Here's a terrible MTB analogy to help - think of your menstrual phase like a blue trail, your feeling good, practicing jumps and hitting techy terrain, after a few days your now ready to hit some red runs (the second half of your follicular phase)  here we're going that little bit bigger, faster and pushing ourselves that bit more. After a few days on the reds, ovulation hits and boom, we are now sending on the blacks ticking off features everywhere, but this hight doesn't last long and soon we're back on the greens (luteal phase). We've had our fun and now it's time to recover before our next period, so let's stick to the green trails for some easy riding. 

- Benefits of Exercising During Your Menstrual Cycle -

Pain Relief

Regular exercise releases endorphins, which act as natural painkillers and can help reduce menstrual cramps.

Improved Mood

Physical activity increases the production of serotonin, a hormone that boosts mood and helps alleviate symptoms of PMS and menstrual-related mood swings.

Better Sleep

Regular exercise can improve sleep quality, which can be disrupted during certain phases of the menstrual cycle.

Increased Energy

Staying active helps maintain energy levels, combatting the fatigue often associated with the luteal phase.

- Tips for Exercising Throughout Your Menstrual Cycle -

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Track Your Cycle AND Your Bleed Pattern

Cycle tracking: Use a menstrual cycle app or calendar to understand your phases and plan your workouts accordingly. Make sure you're keep tracking of what's happening physically, how you're feeling energetically and mentally as well. After a couple of months you'll start to see your normal patterns and you'll be able to plan accordingly. We all have different responses during our cycle, find what what works for your body.

Bleed pattern: Something that is rarely discussed is our bleed pattern. Knowing our regular bleed pattern during our period is so important as it's one of the first indicators of our health. For example if you know that Day 1 is light, Day 2 is heavy, Day 3 is heavy, Day 4 you got back to spotting, Day 5 is light, then if this changes you know your body isn't adapting well to something. Stress, low energy availability, over training, not eating enough and other factors show in most women as irregular or missed periods. 

By tracking your cycle and your bleed pattern you are taking control of your health. Any changes in these gives you the opportunity to pause and reflect on what might be causing these irregularities. I know it's hard to change our thoughts of our menstrual cycle after for most of us, it's seen as a negative and something women have to 'put up with' but we can use it to our advantage, we can be our own bio-hackers and keep track of our health.

Nutrition

During the different phases of your cycle your nutrition demands will change.

Menstruation: Focus on replenishing iron, reducing inflammation, and supporting recovery - red meat, spinach, dark chocolate.
Follicular: Support rising energy and estrogen with lean protein, fibre, and cruciferous veg to fuel performance and hormone balance - lean meat, eggs, broccoli.
Luteal: Stabilise blood sugar and manage cravings with complex carbs, magnesium-rich foods, and balanced meals to support progesterone and reduce PMS - oats, salmon, sweet potato.

Stay Hydrated

Hydration is crucial, especially during menstruation and the luteal phase, to help reduce bloating and fatigue.

Warm-Up and Cool Down

Proper warm-up and cool-down exercises can prevent injury and reduce muscle soreness. Especially during the follicular phase; whilst during this low hormone phase we a primed for high intensity exercise, increases in inflammation (due to higher levels of estrogen) during this phase may mean it takes longer to recover from workouts, so focusing on recovery is key. 

Listen to Your Body

Adjust your workout intensity based on how you feel. It’s okay to rest or opt for lighter activities if needed. 

Exercise and the menstrual cycle are interconnected, and understanding this relationship can help you make the most of your workouts while managing menstrual symptoms. By tailoring your fitness routine to the different phases of your cycle, you can optimise your physical performance, enhance your well-being, and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. Remember, every woman’s body is different, so it’s important to find what works best for you and to listen to your body’s signals. Stay active, stay informed, and embrace the positive impact of exercise on your menstrual health.