Life
Most of us know that too much exercise can affect our menstrual cycle; over-exercising can, in some cases, lead to amenorrhea, or the absence of a period, and is generally something to be avoided. But did you know that the relationship also goes the other way? Increasingly, research is revealing that the phase of your menstrual cycle has an impact on your exercise performance and recovery. Having an awareness of where you are in your personal menstrual calendar can help you make the most out of your workouts, it turns out.
Menstrual cycle tracking apps are the next big bonanza for period science; by collecting data (consensually) from thousands, even millions, of people, these apps can back up or even contribute to scientific research about many aspects of female health, from STD symptoms, to the phenomenon of premenstrual syndrome. And that extends to exercise and its interactions with the different stages of the menstrual cycle. The bad news, if you're lazy (like me), is that there's no "forbidden" time to exercise your cycle, but different phases of your cycle do have different impacts on your physical activity. Bustle talked to the senior designer behind high-rated period app Clue, Caroline Hardy, who's also a Crossfit athlete, about what it takes to train in sync with your cycle, and how your flo influences different aspects of your workout.
Menstrual Cycles Also Affect Your Rest & Recovery
It's not just your performance at a workout that seems to be tied to menstrual cycles, either. It should also be part of how you look at your rest and recovery time. "You might want to schedule your rest days during your luteal phase," says Hardy, as the luteal phase means the body is lower in energy anyway. "Also, if you want to take time off from training for vacation, your luteal phase is a great time to take it in order to reduce impact on your strength goals."
Clue has also noted in its popular blog posts that post-ovulation, body temperature tends to run higher. It's also discovered, in its own research, that resting heart rate can fluctuate across the cycle. The app's scientists note that this might affect workout recovery and how difficult everything feels as you're warming down, so feeling slightly worse and more sluggish during the luteal phase isn't something to be concerned about.
A lot of research remains to be done on the intersections between the menstrual cycle in women and exercise and endurance. In many ways, menstrual science is really just getting started. But whether you're a serious athlete or just prone to a jog a few times a week, factoring in your individual menstrual cycle stage might help you understand your body better and tailor your workout needs and expectations in a more personal way.