Many women are in pain during their period. This is because the uterus contracts and stops blood and oxygen supply, causing pain to belly, waist and breasts.
No research has shown that exercise is forbidden these days. On the contrary, mild physical exercise helps against pain same as painkillers and warm baths.
In particular, yoga and pilates are a good choice, since they improve flexibility, elongation, breathing and mental health, elements that increase endorphins – the body’s natural painkillers. Of course at least the first two days, where the bleeding is heavy the exercise program should be mild as the iron level is lower and fatigue prevails.
Prepilates will relieve the body from pain and will relax your muscles. Breathing, shoulder moves, pelvic clock, hip circles. Mild abdominal exercises with few reps , activating transverse abdomen are quite beneficial.
A hatha or restorative yoga lesson (without many sun salutations and reverse poses) will help the blood circulation and will relieve you from the unpleasant symptoms. Chil’s pose and paschimottanasana pose are poses that bend the trunk to the legs and offer relieve . During “difficult” days we prefer to shrink our body like a ball.
Sofia Papageorga, Yoga & Pilates Instructor, Personal Trainer, AthensTrainers® Associate
Body Magazine, October 2017