29 Jul Can you walk off premenstrual problems?
If you’re regularly bothered by premenstrual irritability, down moods, aches, fatigue, mental fogginess or other pre-period symptoms, consider adding more aerobic exercise to your regimen, such as brisk walking, jogging, biking, swimming or even hula hooping.
Two new studies (this one in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaeocology and this one in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness) show that women who do more aerobic workouts (the kind that gets your heart pumping) are less likely to suffer from premenstrual woes.
This latest study supports previous research from all over the globe that also found links between more aerobic exercise and fewer premenstrual problems.
So, how does exercise work its symptom-preventing magic? Regular workouts boost your mood, reduce stress and improve sleep. They may also help fix hormone imbalances that exacerbate bothersome symptoms.
How much exercise should you aim to do? Current U.S. guidelines recommend two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking) or one hour and fifteen minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise (such as jogging) per week.
Don’t have the energy or physical power to do aerobic exercise? Try yoga. Multiple studies–including this new study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine–show that regularly practicing yoga poses helps improve mood, reduce anxiety and get you better sleep during your premenstrual week.
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[Photo: jimshooz7]
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