Habit 2: Regular Exercise

Habit 2: Regular Exercise

What is it?

High-intensity cardio workouts like treadmill, Zumba, and running are useful in relieving period cramps.

Regimen:

• What - High-intensity cardio workouts (treadmill, Zumba, running)

• How much - Minimum 3x a week, 30mins a day.

• When - Recommended throughout the month/cycle, apart from during menstruation (unless already in the habit or able to tolerate high physical activity during menstruation)

• How long - At least 12 weeks (or 3 menstrual cycles)

How does it work?

Doing exercise daily and not only during periods has major health benefits in the long run. Exercise doesn’t only help relieve period pain, but it also has a positive effect on other PMS symptoms¹.

1. Endorphin release: When we exercise, our brain releases endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals, and thus they improve mood and manage anxiety.

2. Increased blood circulation: Exercising increases blood circulation in the body, and therefore helps in reducing pain in the body, including cramps and headaches.

What is the efficacy?

Methods: The three studies looked at how regular physical activity affects menstrual pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea. They included randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews, examining different types of exercise like treadmill-based aerobic workouts, general physical activity, and various cardio or movement routines, done for at least two menstrual cycles. Comparisons were made against usual care, no exercise, or medications such as NSAIDs or birth control pills. Pain intensity and duration were the main outcomes, with some studies also tracking daily functioning and quality of life.^2,3,4

Results: Across the studies, regular exercise, especially aerobic workouts, helped in reducing menstrual pain intensity, and in some cases, shorter pain duration. One trial found benefits lasting for months, with improved daily functioning and quality of life. Meta-analysis results also showed moderate pain relief, though the amount of benefit varied between studies. However, the Cochrane review noted that overall evidence quality is low, meaning more reliable research is still needed.

Conclusion: Exercise appears to be a promising way to ease menstrual pain and improve well-being, with aerobic and other physical activities showing positive effects in several studies. However, because much of the existing research is small or low quality, stronger studies are needed before exercise can be recommended as a proven treatment for dysmenorrhea.

References

1. Sanchez BN, Kraemer WJ, Maresh CM. Premenstrual syndrome and exercise: A narrative review. Women. 2023;3(2):348–64. doi:10.3390/women3020026.

1. Kannan P, Chapple CM, Miller D, Claydon-Mueller L, Baxter GD. Effectiveness of a treadmill-based aerobic exercise intervention on pain, daily functioning, and quality of life in women with primary dysmenorrhea: a randomized controlled trial. Contemp Clin Trials. 2019 Jun;81:80–6. doi:10.1016/j.cct.2019.05.004.

2. Armour M, Ee CC, Naidoo D, Ayati Z, Chalmers KJ, Steel KA, de Manincor MJ, Delshad E. Exercise for dysmenorrhoea. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2019(9).

3. Matthewman G, Lee A, Kaur JG, Daley AJ. Physical activity for primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. 2018 Sep 1;219(3):255-e1.