The length of a normal menstrual cycle generally ranges between 21 and 35 days in adult women and 21 and 45 days in teenage girls, the National Women's Health Information Center explained, with most women experiencing abnormal bleeding at some stage in life. Bleeding in between cycles, spotting, too frequent or scanty periods and heavy blood loss are all examples of abnormal bleeding. Stress, illness, eating disorders and hormonal imbalance can all trigger abnormal bleeding, as can prolonged intense and excessive exercising.
Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding
A normal menstrual cycle is calculated from the first day of one period to first day of the next one, although menstrual cycles differ with each individual. Bleeding or spotting in between menstrual cycles, following menopause, after sexual intercourse or after exercising is considered abnormal. Changes in your menstrual cycle can transpire as a result of hormonal fluctuations, emotional and physical stress, changes to your diet and lifestyle, pregnancy or chronic illness. Abnormal bleeding and unusually heavy periods, known as menorrhagia, may be related to disorders such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, cervical polyps, sexually transmitted diseases or cervical cancer, so it is vital that you consult your gynecologist or general practitioner if you are experiencing abnormal uterine bleeding after exercising or at any other time during your menstrual cycle.
Intensive Exercise and Stress
Exercising regularly can benefit your health and overall wellbeing, and working out during your menses actually helps ease discomfort and painful cramps. Extremely demanding exercises, on the other hand, can disrupt your hormonal balance, as subjecting your body to excessive physical strain elevates stress levels, which may cause vaginal bleeding after exercising. The Journal of Endocrinological Investigation published a 2008 study in which the effects of exercise on stress levels were researched. According to the study, low-intensity workouts reduced amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, while strenuous exercises were shown to elevate levels.
Stress and Hormone Fluctuations
Your body responds when faced with emotional or physical stress by releasing cortisol. This primary stress hormone triggers the fight or flight response, helping your body deal with dangerous or life-threatening situations. However, chronic stress syndrome has become a common disorder in today's society, and continually elevated stress levels are a paramount aspect of modern day life, often times paired with insufficient rest and relaxation. A constant state of stress, the women's wellness clinic Women To Women explained, disturbs the balance of progesterone and estrogen levels, making you susceptible to irregular periods and abnormal bleeding. Shape Fit recommends keeping intense workouts short to avoid elevating stress levels, adding that cortisol increases when intensive workouts last longer than 45 to 60 minutes.
Adapting Exercise Routines
Physiological and psychological changes occur at various phases during your menstrual cycle, the online magazine Fitness Avenues explained. Your body temperature rises during ovulation, while estrogen and progesterone levels increase at the luteal phase. Your body is geared to endure longer and more intense exercises during the luteal phase, according to Fitness Avenues, which occurs as a result of increased estrogen. Adapting exercises and alternating between high- and low-intensity routines throughout your menstrual cycle may accommodate hormonal changes, allowing you to avoid overly stressing your body to reduce the risk of abnormal vaginal bleeding.
References
- The National Women's Health Information Center: Menstruation and The Menstrual Cycle
- Pub Med.gov: Exercise and Circulating Cortisol Levels
- Women To Women: Irregular Menstrual Periods in Perimenopause and Menopause
- Shape Fit: Adrenal Fatigue and Overtraining: Exercising Too Much Effects Cortisol Levels
- Fitness Avenues: The Menstrual Cycle and Exercise
