If you’re athletically minded or health minded, you may be wondering what kind of exercises are good for period bloating. Since bloating may be the result of stagnant blood flow, circulating the blood and getting fresh blood to go to the abdomen is truly a good solution.
If you’re also wondering should you exercise when you have period bloating, the answer is yes, you should. By lying around in bed all day, you’re making the condition worse.
5 Exercises That Ease Menstrual Bloating
1. K2 Machine
The K2 machine is not widely available but if you know someone who has one, it’s really great for bloating relief. This machine has a stand a few feet long and a foot wide and a tall back piece that gives your body support when you step on the stand. Once you turn the machine on, it vibrates at a frequency that is conducive to your body’s health. You simply stand on it for 10 minutes, and can opt for doing exercises while on it as well (such as push up position, sitting on it, raising one leg, etc.)
As the machine vibrates, it vibrates faster and slower at different times during the minute, shaking up the internal organs. (Don’t worry; they can’t be shaken out of place in your body; they’re attached so they won’t!) The vibration shakes out the bloating and inflammation somewhat and you may need to go to the restroom immediately afterward.
One 10-minute session on the K2 machine offers the body the equivalency of a 45-minute workout in the gym. Thus you get the added advantage of toning muscles while you alleviate bloating.
2. Body Arch
This exercise is one where you lie on your back, brace yourself with the hands on the bed and arch your body upward towards the ceiling. As you hit the highest point of the arch, your belly button will be the highest point of your body. That’s a good time to contract the abdominal muscles and then let go. Contract them three times, then return back down to the bed. Repeat. The abdominal muscle contraction will help make the bloating go away.
3. Abdominal exercises in the gym
At your gym, you’ll find at least three abdominal exercise machines. Work out on these machines and do four sets of 10 repetitions on each machine. See if these will stop your bloating.
4. Hanging upside down
Many people own either gravity boots or the inversion tables that make it easy to flip your posture from upright to upside down. While hanging upside down, massage your abdomen in a clockwise direction. You’ll stimulate blood flow to the area and that will facilitate a removal of waste products and relieve bloating.
Does exercise like this reduce PMS bloating?
Sure, and you can make it more effective by doing situps from the inverted position. One sit up from an inverted position is equivalent to 25 situps on the floor.
5. Fetal positioning
While on your bed, pull your legs up to your abdomen and hold them there for one minute. Then release them back to full length position. Repeat.
Don’t forget that the simplest solution for relieving bloating and cramps and other PMS symptoms is taking a period vitamin. A period vitamin will give your body the nutrients that support your reproductive system during this time of month. However, it is a supplement taken all month long.
