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Exercise your Way to Being PMS-free

PMS is the bane of many women's existence. If you are in this category, you have likely tried all sorts of remedies to combat the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and have probably met with limited success. There is no cure for it but there is a great way to make it more tolerable and even easy to negotiate. Have you thought about regular exercise? No, the half hearted walks around the block or dancing to an exercise video do not cut it. Alleviation of PMS symptoms requires regular exercise like aerobic activity in order to be effective.

Effectiveness of Exercise against Dreaded PMS

A number of studies throughout the world have been conducted in regards to how effective exercise really is against the symptoms of PMS. Typically, there are several groups established - one sedentary type that is introduced to exercise and one with active women already. The active women did not really have any changes to their PMS world because their symptoms were already less than the sedentary group. However, the sedentary group who started exercising was tested for PMS symptoms six months after and virtually all reported that their PMS symptoms greatly lessened or disappeared altogether. Many reported that their breast tenderness was almost gone; they had less cramping, fewer mood swings and less bloating.

Exercise is a great way to relieve tension and its health benefits like higher metabolism and great circulation certainly help health matters. Being physically active means you will have more energy because your cells are getting more oxygen. Endorphins are produced in the brain as a result of exercise and give you a natural "high." These endorphins boost your mood as well as stabilize blood sugar and even alleviate depression and anxiety. You feel more in control of your PMS when you exercise and in fact, other symptoms like cramping and food cravings lessen too.

Types of Exercise to Do

Aerobic exercise is often the best as it does not put undue stress on the body which could make PMS worse. Moderation is the key and swimming, biking, walking, jogging and dancing are just a few of many activities that are perfect for curbing those symptoms. The target exercise regiment is around 30-45 minutes per day, at least five days a week. It is certainly doable if you learn to make exercise a habit and part of the daily routine.

Some women may prefer strength training to aerobic exercise. While strength training is good for you, it will not work in alleviating PMS symptoms, unlike aerobic activity. Another exercise you can indulge in is yoga. This practice of deep breathing, meditation and easy stretching relieves stress and tension in the body which can in turn alleviate certain symptoms of PMS like cramping, fatigue, lack of concentration, mood swings and headaches.

Examine your daily routine and decide which exercise options would best fit into your life. Early morning or late night exercising are great options as well as forgoing a lengthy lunch in favor of walking or some other exercise. Just remember - a reduction or elimination of PMS symptoms is your reward.