Cycle syncing can be used for planning meals, exercise, meetings, and other life activities in a way that optimizes your personal health and well-being. Here, we will discuss some exercises that can help you feel your best during each phase of the menstrual cycle.
What is cycle syncing? This is a women’s health-related approach that aligns day-to-day activities with the hormonal changes that impact mood, appetite, energy, and more, during the menstrual cycle. Cycle syncing is a way for those who experience menstruation to feel more in tune with their bodies, minimizing how much they feel controlled by their period and improving overall wellbeing. What kind of exercise can help you optimize your wellbeing during each cycle?
When exercising, it is important to listen to your body and prepare by eating right before and after workouts, as well as stretching. Dynamic stretches are recommended before exercise and static stretches after exercise.
Menstrual phase (1-5 days) – During this phase, the uterine lining is shed by the help of contractions that can often be painful, often referred to as cramping. That is why at this time it can be difficult to exercise. However, exercise can actually help reduce cramps and bloating symptoms during the menstrual phase. Here are some examples of gentle exercises that can help:
- Low-impact cardio
- Walking
- Swimming
- Light cycling
- Stretching
- Yoga
- Pilates
Follicular phase (13-14 days) – Because this phase is directly prior to the ovulatory phase, the body is focused on managing the rising levels of estrogen to prepare for egg release in the following phase. The increase in estrogen and less energy expenditure spent shedding the uterine lining in the previous phase is also why we tend to feel the best. That’s why many women tend to hit PRs (personal records) and feel extra strong! Take advantage of this by focusing on high-intensity exercises, such as:
- Strength training
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Push-ups
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- Burpees
- Mountain climbers
- Jump squats
- High knees
- Cadio
- Swimming
- Running
- Dance workouts
- Stretching
You can use weights and resistance bands that you are comfortable with. During the follicular phase, it is easy to over-do it, and that is why it is especially important to listen to your body. If you feel overly uncomfortable or in pain, that is most likely a sign to take a step back and stretch it out, use less weight, etc. Eating certain foods can also help prevent muscle fatigue (see our Cycle Syncing with Food blog post!).
Ovulatory phase (12-24 hours)– At ovulation, estrogen and testosterone are at their peak. This means your body is high in energy and experiencing many hormones at once. You can do similar exercises to the follicular phase:
- Strength training
- HIIT
- Cardio
- Stretching
Luteal phase (12-14 days) – Estrogen drops shortly after ovulation but continues to rise slightly in this phase. Because of this, women tend to feel more sluggish and it is recommended to return back to low-intensity exercises as in the menstrual phase:
- Low-impact cardio
- Stretching
Pairing these exercises with the right foods to fuel your body during each of these phases is a recipe to feeling your best! Remember, it is okay to take a break, reach out when you’re not feeling your best, and listen to your body. Everyone’s body and responses are unique and therefore it is important to find what works best for you rather than following the above suggestions as a strict regimen.
Our research at SHEIS Labs deeply studies the menstrual cycle. Learn more at: https://u.osu.edu/sheislaboratory/