Oura Ring is a wearable fitness tracker that monitors and optimizes your sleep, recovery, stress, and physical health. It also provides recommendations based on the insights. It can be used efficiently to find the best exercise during periods for you and optimize it.
In this article, Urbantrnd helps you understand why and how to exercise during periods and discusses how Oura Ring can help you.
Finding the Best Exercise during Periods
Can I Exercise During Periods?
Many people advise avoiding exercise during periods because the body is weak, or exercising would lead to heavy flow, and so on. Unfortunately, there is a lot of myth surrounding around exercising during periods. Experts say that we feel tiredness and decreased energy levels because both progesterone and estrogen are at their lowest during periods. However, it is not advisable to completely avoid exercise because not doing exercise will not necessarily save energy or make you feel better.
In fact, many experts and the public share that doing different kinds of exercise and physical activities helped them relieve their period pain.
It is best to choose exercise based on personal preferences, especially during periods. This is because some people may feel more energetic during periods, while others may feel lethargic, or may even have severe symptoms that demand rest.
Advantages of Exercise during Periods
- Reduction in PMS, Cramps, and bloating: Exercising daily, or even during periods, has been shown to ease bloating, cramps, and premenstrual syndrome. There are specific stretching and yoga poses that you can do for this.
- Reduce Period Pain: Exercising regularly, at least 30 minutes for three days a week, has been shown to reduce pain and other symptoms during periods.
- Release Serotonin & Endorphin: Physical activity releases serotonin and Endorphin hormones. Serotonin promotes the feeling of happiness and well-being. Meanwhile, endorphin, which is released through exercise, elevates mood and serves as a natural painkiller.
- Reduced fatigue: Regular aerobic activity may help lessen the fatigue associated with periods as it induces needed hormones and improves circulation.
- Manage mood swings: Exercise helps in improving mood and reduces feelings of depression, sadness, irritability, or anger. For better effect, try doing exercise with your friends or a group so that you can also have some fun.
- Improved Circulation: As exercise enhances blood circulation, it results in elevated cramps, and headaches, and relieves back pain. It also helps you feel more energetic.
- Relaxation: Doing yoga and mindfulness can help the body to relax and reduce symptoms like bloating, cramping, breast tenderness, headaches, and makes you feel grounded instead of angry and irritable.
Read to know more: Period tracking with Oura Ring
Tips for Tailoring Best Exercise during Periods
Everybody is different and may require different things. Urbantrnd brings you some factors that you can be mindful of while you are exercising during menstruation. Use Oura Ring to help you take informed decisions regarding your exercise,
Reduce Intensity
You don’t need to take a complete break from exercise just because you’re on periods. Just reduce the intensity of cardiovascular exercises or endurance training. You can also increase your intervals to take enough rest in between.
Gentle activities
Some people can do their regular intense exercise routine, while some may require extra care. If you don’t want to exercise during periods, you can opt for gentle activities like walking, short sessions of aerobic exercise, dancing, Pilates, yoga, etc., to provide some relief.
Diaphragmatic breathing
Incorporate conscious diaphragmatic breathing for relaxation, concentration, and enhanced mood. This can be done particularly in combination with Yoga and Pilates. It will be best for managing the period if you start and end your day with diaphragmatic breathing.
Hydrate
During the cramps and discomfort, we can forget to drink enough water. Keep yourself hydrated to prevent bloating and constipation and aid your exercise during periods.
Mindful adjustments
You can find the best exercise during periods for you by being mindful of your body’s adjustments during menstruation, easing up on the intensity if necessary. For example, if you are feeling energetic or aggressive, you can do your regular exercise or even increase the intensity.
For some people, exercising can lead to increased flow as it helps the uterus contract. This can help the periods end sooner. But if you already have a heavy flow, go for light-intensity exercise or gentle activities.
Managing periods with Oura Ring becomes easier in this manner as it will give you all the necessary insights so that you can make adjustments in your routine.
Stretching & Yoga
Even on days when you are not exercising, stretching and Yoga is a must. It will help your body get the basic requirements and alleviate tension in the muscles. This is also useful if you are on bed rest.
Some yoga poses can be practiced to reduce cramps, and period pain, or cure irregular periods also. Find what your body needs with Oura Ring and practice the yoga pose that will aid you.
Read more: Best Yoga Poses to Help in Managing Period Pain
Swimming
Swimming is considered one of the best exercises as it uses the whole body. It can also be the best exercise during periods as it will help you in a full-body workout and reduce period pain by providing a weightless sensation.
You can use menstrual cups instead of sanitary pads or tampons in the pool.
Post-exercise recovery
Even if you found the best exercise during periods for you, remember to do your post-exercise recovery session. Use ice or a heating pad to alleviate cramps or pain. You should also be mindful of post-workout food. Hydrate yourself, eat a banana, potatoes, eggs, or some nuts for best results.
Managing Period with Oura Ring
You can tailor your best exercise during periods with the help of Oura Ring. Click here to get your Oura Ring.
Sleep and Recovery Tracking
Oura Ring helps you understand sleep quality and recovery so you can plan your exercise depending on the fatigue and past recovery. Adjust your intensity according to sleep quality for maximum recovery.
Read more: How to improve sleep quality using Oura Ring?
Heart Health Tracking
Oura Ring will give you insights about your stress and recovery levels. If your heart rate variability is lower than usual, you should consider lower-intensity exercise.
Body Temperature Tracking
Use Oura Ring to monitor temperature and adjust your workout intensity based on the temperature fluctuations to ensure optimal fluctuations.
Activity and Movement Tracking
This feature for managing periods with Oura Ring will give you data on your movement, activity, and readiness so that you can adapt your exercise routine based on energy levels, comfort, and need for physical activity.
Remember, Oura Ring is a tool to provide insights, but it is essential to interpret the data for your unique body and make informed decisions. Stay healthy and happy!