Why am I exhausted working out before my period?

Feeling tired before your period can be a symptom of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. Poor sleep, cramps or sore breasts can also make a workout less comfortable. But one difficult session doesn't mean your cycle is the cause, and feeling less fit at this point in your cycle isn't inevitable.

Why workouts can feel harder before your period

Tiredness and trouble sleeping are common symptoms of PMS, alongside bloating, cramps and breast tenderness. Symptoms vary from person to person and from cycle to cycle. Hormonal changes may play a part, but the causes of PMS aren't fully understood.

Period pain can also start before bleeding begins. It usually affects the lower abdomen and can spread to the back and thighs. If pain is getting in the way of your workout, that's a different issue from simply feeling low on energy.

What should I change about my workout?

Start with what's bothering you today. Does anything hurt? Did you sleep badly? Or does the session just feel more demanding than usual? These questions can help you choose a practical adjustment, without planning every workout around your next period's expected date.

For example:

• Intervals feel too demanding: you could try an easier or shorter session.
• A movement causes pain: don't force yourself to keep doing it just to finish the set. Make a note of it so you can discuss it if the pain keeps happening.
• You feel fine even though your period is due: the calendar alone doesn't mean you need to make your workout easier.

You can also postpone a session.

Regular exercise, a balanced diet and enough sleep are among the recommended ways to help ease PMS. That doesn't establish one ideal exercise intensity for everyone.

How can I tell whether the tiredness follows my cycle?

To look for a possible pattern, keep a symptom diary for at least two cycles. You can discuss it at a medical appointment.

You could keep a few notes in a notebook alongside your cycle tracking with Plumm:

• The date of your workout and the date your period started.
• What you planned to do and what you actually did.
• What bothered you: tiredness, pain or disrupted sleep, for example.
• What felt more comfortable after an adjustment.

A note like "Tuesday: heavy legs, cut workout short; period started Thursday" gives you more to go on later than "bad week". You don't need to write a full report after every workout. The aim is to describe what keeps happening, without automatically putting every change down to your cycle.

When should I talk to a doctor?

If symptoms affect your daily life or the adjustments aren't helping, make an appointment with a doctor.

Period pain that becomes very severe or gets worse should also be investigated. The same applies if pain starts when your periods were previously only mildly painful or painless. Endometriosis and fibroids are among the possible causes, but these symptoms alone aren't enough for a diagnosis.

Bring your notes if you have them. Describing what tiredness or pain stops you doing can help explain the problem: "I have to stop every workout early" is more specific than "I feel wiped out".