--- title: Does moderate physical activity during menstruation reduce PMS symptoms? description: Women who stay moderately active throughout their menstrual cycle, including during menstruation, have fewer PMS symptoms than inactive women. Activity does n url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/influence-of-moderate-physical-activity-including-physical-activity-during-2021/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does moderate physical activity during menstruation reduce PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2021 # Does moderate physical activity during menstruation reduce PMS symptoms? Women who stay moderately active throughout their menstrual cycle, including during menstruation, have fewer PMS symptoms than inactive women. Activity does not affect cycle regularity, how long you bleed, or menstrual pain. Early or limited evidence 152 women who have never been pregnant ## What they did Cross-sectional study of 152 women divided into three groups by physical activity level. Researchers used questionnaires to compare groups. ## What they found Women moderately active throughout their cycle had fewer PMS symptoms than inactive women or those active only outside menstruation. Physical activity had no effect on menstrual cycle regularity, duration of bleeding, amount of bleeding, or menstrual pain. ## What it means for you Staying active during your whole cycle, including menstruation, might help prevent PMS symptoms. This is a small survey-based study so we cannot prove activity causes fewer symptoms. The authors note we need larger studies looking at activity intensity, stress, and environmental factors. 152 women studied ## About the study Original title Influence of moderate physical activity, including physical activity during menstruation, on the course of menstrual cycle among nullipara — an attempt to evaluate Authors Aleksandra Szpak Journal Health Promotion & Physical Activity Year 2021 Study design Survey study Participants 152 What was tested moderate physical activity throughout the menstrual cycle Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0015.2814](https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0015.2814) Original abstract This study is specifically concerned with the effect of regular physical activity during menstruation on the course of menstrual cycle among nullipara. Based on the author’s questionnaire, the 152 women participating in the study were divided into three groups A, B and C – depending on their level of physical activity. The physical activity at a moderate level does not significantly affect the regularity of menstrual cycles. The cultivation of moderate physical activity during menstruation does not significantly affect the duration of bleeding. Moderate physical activity is irrelevant to the abundance of menstrual bleeding. Moderate physical activity has no significant effect on menstrual pain and its duration. Women who are physically active at a moderate level throughout their menstrual cycle are less likely to experience symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) than women who are only physically active outside of menstruation and are not physically active, which may indicate that moderate physical activity during menstruation prevents symptoms of premenstrual tension syndrome. Based on the results achieved, it is not possible to clearly determine the relevance of promoting moderate physical activity, with particular emphasis on that during menstruation, among women. The study needs to be continued with particular attention paid to physical activity during the day, the influence of environmental factors and stress on the examined women, and with attention paid to the intensity of pain accompanying bleeding. However, it can be assumed that there is no justification for limiting physical activity during the menstrual bleeding phase. Reproduced under CC-BY-SA. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Non-randomised trial, 2019 Does cinnamon and ginger combined with exercise help reduce PMS and period pain symptoms? Survey study, 2017 Does painful menstruation affect adolescent girls' mood, emotions, sleep, and thinking? Survey study, 2025 How common are period pain and PMS in Spanish university students, and do lifestyle choices affect them? Survey study, 2022 How common is PMS in university students and what helps them cope with symptoms? Survey study, 2015 How common is physical stress and pain during the menstrual cycle? Case-control study, 2006 Do women with IBS and period pain have worse symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗