If you’re wondering, does exercise help relieve menstrual cramps, the answer is yes, yes, yes. Exercise will not make menstrual cramps worse. The next questions get into the nitty gritty details of type of exercise to do.

Let’s go through the answers to the seven basic questions women always ask about the connection between exercise and menstrual cramps:

1. Does exercise help relieve menstrual cramps?

The research shows that definitely, you will benefit from exercising if you have menstrual cramps.

In one Iranian study, 20 young women aged 18 to 25 years old did aquatic exercise for 1 hour three times a week over the course of two periods (3 months) while another 20 women did nothing extra for their cramps. The aquatic exercises significantly improved the severity of their menstrual cramps. (Source: Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2013 Sep;18(5):378-83.)

2. Can exercise make menstrual cramps worse?

Exercise is not known to make menstrual cramps worse. However, if you have a calcium or magnesium deficiency, your muscles may tense up during exercise.

3. Is it okay to exercise with menstrual cramps?

Exercise should never be stopped just because you are having cramps. The added oxygen to the muscles in the entire body along with the increased levels of endorphins that bring you peacefulness will only help you during this time of the month. You will have to determine what are the best exercises for menstrual cramps yourself, however. There are many to choose from.

4. Do ab exercises help PMS cramps?

Ab exercises target the muscles that are cramping during PMS.

You can do these as simply as possible, or go to the health club and use specific abdominal exercise machines for this.

Here are four to get you started:

1. Go for a 15-minute walk. While walking, contract your abdominals and hold for 5 seconds, then release. Aim for at least one strong contraction every minute.
2. Get in a sit-up position on the floor with your knees bent. Clasp your knees to your chest and hold for 10 seconds. Relax. Repeat 10 times.
3. In that same sit-up position, bring the soles of your feet together. Then move your legs up and down slowly, feeling the contraction in your abdominals. Aim for one minute of contractions.
4. Select two abdominal machines at the health club and start out with a low weight and do 12 reps. Increase the weight 10 pounds and do 10 reps. Increase the weight another 10 pounds and do 8 reps. Finally, increase the weight 10 more pounds and do 6 reps. Rest for one minute in between repetitions. For many women, ab exercises are the best exercises for menstrual cramps.

5. What type of breathing exercises for period cramps can I do?

Breathing exercises help us slow down the body and relax greatly. They are quite simple to do since you’re breathing 24/7 anyway! Simply get in a comfortable position (it doesn’t have to be a yoga pose) and take a deep breath and then let it out slowly. Repeat 4-5 times. You can alter this breathing exercise by exhaling as completely as possible, or extending the number of times you repeat it.

6. Are there any yoga exercises to relieve menstrual cramps?

According to researchers at the Department of Midwifery at Islamic Azad University, yoga could be helpful for period cramps and might be the best exercises for menstrual cramps.

In their study of young women aged 18 to 22, the 50 women who exercised with the cobra pose, cat pose and fish pose significantly reduced the severity and duration of the women’s menstrual cramps, as compared to those who did not do these exercises. (Source: J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2011 Aug;24(4):192-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2011.01.059. Epub 2011 Apr 21.)

7.What type of stretching exercises for menstrual cramps can I do?

When you have cramps during your period, the cramps may be in the abdominal area, the back or your thighs. Whatever stretching exercises you choose should match where your pain is.

For cramps in the back and abdomen both, lie on the floor with your buttocks as close to the wall as possible. Place your legs against the wall. Spread them apart as far as you can and hold the position for as long as possible.

For cramps in your back, sit on a chair and reach forward to clasp your ankles, almost as if you are trying to tie your shoes. Hold this position for as long as possible.

Exercise will increase blood flow to the entire body, and this new blood brings oxygen with it. Oxygen is a painkiller!

Don’t forget to take your period vitamin when you’re exercising and stretching. All that new blood should be rich in the vitamins and minerals you need during your period.