Last updated on February 16th, 2023 at 12:27 pm
All women and girls know running on your period just isn’t quite the same. Cramps, low energy, and heavy flow can get in the way of a good run. When you feel this way, it’s only natural to ask one question. You may be asking, ‘How does running affect your period?’
Running may cause you to lose your period. However, it can also ease cramps, lighten your flow, and give you energy with the right nutrition and recovery.
Long-term Effects of Running on your Monthly Cycle
Regularly engaging in strenuous exercise can negatively impact your period as well. This is why you have to take active steps to care for your body and prioritize recovery.
Missed Periods
First and foremost, missing periods is not something to ignore. In fact, your period is a direct insight into your health as a female. And when it comes to running, missing your period may also place you at risk for injuries.
Moreover, missing your period consistently can be a sign that you’re developing exercise-induced amenorrhea.
This is a condition where you are training hard and not adequately fueling your body.
Furthermore, a lack of fuel after hard training sessions results in heightened cortisol levels and hormonal imbalance.
This condition causes your body to stop prioritizing reproductive processes.
In fact, the body thinks it needs to save resources to devote to more essential physiological processes.
Exercise-induced amenorrhea can place you at risk for early onset osteoporosis leading to stress fractures. And, stress fractures have the potential to end your running career.
According to Mayo Clinic, exercise-induced amenorrhea has also been linked to infertility and a higher risk for heart attacks (source).
If you’ve lost your period as a runner, it’s time to consult your doctor to avoid serious health complications. You can get your female health back on track with help from a team of professionals.
Spotting or Breakthrough Bleeding
Additionally, consistent strenuous exercise will alter the regulation of your body’s hormones. This change in hormonal signaling can cause your uterine lining to shed a bit here and there.
This small shedding of the uterine lining can result in breakthrough bleeding or spotting.
However, it’s common to experience breakthrough bleeding here and there for most women who exercise.
Breakthrough bleeding can also happen when you suddenly increase the intensity of your running workouts. A sharp increase in exercise intensity throws off your hormonal balance triggering uterine shedding.
If you are spotting after every run, don’t ignore it. These symptoms warrant a consultation with your doctor.
Benefits Running May Have on Your Monthly Period
Not all the effects of running on your period are negative. In fact, cardiovascular exercise like running can also have positive effects on your period that make it more tolerable.
Plus, running in nature has been shown to improve mental health. So, to help, we’ve found the best shoes for the job in our Best Women’s Trail Running Shoes post.
So, How does Running Affect Your Period?
Reduces Cramping and Period Pain
First and foremost, period cramps are the worst.
However, after beginning a running routine, many runners immediately notice cramps to be much less intense.
Research shows running can decrease the intensity and duration of the cramps.
Moreover, running enhances blood flow throughout your body and will release endorphins.
These effects reduce your cramps, making your period less painful.
Research has found that women who perform aerobic exercise were less likely to need pain killers for their cramps (source).
Additionally, exercise itself is also known to reduce widespread inflammation in your body. Inflammation often causes pain, so it makes sense running would help ease period cramps.
Running can be your natural dose of Midol or ibuprofen on your period without all the other unwanted side effects!
Shorter Periods
Additionally, running may also shorten how long your period lasts. Who doesn’t love the sound of a shorter period?!
This can be a game changer if you’re accustomed to long periods that influence your training schedule.
And, the right level of running combined with good nutrition has been shown to improve hormone regulation. However, you must be sure to hydrate as well. We’ve found the best tools for hydration in our Best Hydration Vests for Trail Running and Ultrarunning post.
Balanced levels of estrogen and progesterone can shave upwards of a day or two off your period. Sounds great right?
Lighter Flow
Not only will your period be shorter and less painful, but it could also be lighter. After running at a moderate volume with good nutrition, you may start to notice that your flow is lighter. This could be a result of multiple factors.
For instance, consistent running may cause you to lose body fat. As a result, healthy amounts of weight loss positively influence the balance of estrogen and progesterone.
These balanced hormones can make the intensity of your flow reduce significantly.
It’s important not to take this too far. Unhealthy amounts of weight loss can cause your body fat to get too low. You don’t want your body weight to get so low that you lose your period altogether.
Fights Fatigue
Finally, running can help reduce feelings of fatigue while on your period. Getting out for a run may sound like the last thing you want to do while on your period. Trust me, I get it.
However, runners never regret going for a run during their monthly cycle.
It’s a great way to give yourself a much-needed energy boost. Runners high feels even better and helps you fight through the brain fog.
Furthermore, the endorphins that get released with running are Mother Nature’s espresso shot for your body.
Even a short and slow run can restore the energy that menstruation drains.
However, when running on your period, you may not want to emphasize speed work or hills. Research has found that muscles may be more easily fatigued during our period (source).
As such, high-intensity efforts may result in you feeling less energized afterward. Consequently, focusing on easy runs that build your aerobic foundation is more likely to boost your energy during your period.
Additionally, running also enhances the quality of your sleep resulting in less fatigue throughout the day when you’re on your period.
Skip the afternoon coffee and go for an afternoon run to fight fatigue from your period. And, for hot weather check out our winner for the Best Running Shorts for Women.
Run Strong on Your Period
Many runners know that exercise can benefit everything from digestion to mental health and wellness. However, women runners may be concerned about their monthly cycle. Indeed, there are both benefits and potentially troubling changes that can occur to a woman’s period with daily running.
Understanding how running affects your period helps you tailor your training plan to optimize your health. With proper nutrition and training, you can use running as medicine to make your period much more enjoyable.
About the Author
Sarah Sampsell
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