text: Each month, Mother Nature curses women with a menstrual cycle, but there are ways to make a period less dreadful.
  Depending on irregularity and birth control use, a woman’s period normally lasts about two to seven days and comes along each month. Along with a menstrual cycle comes many side effects such as moodiness, abdominal cramping, bloating, food cravings, breast tenderness, headaches, fatigue and acne breakouts.
  With all of this going on in a woman’s body, the last thing on her mind is the thought of exercising. However, just a 30-minute workout during a period can help relieve some of those annoying period-related symptoms.
  Most women would agree that working out or playing sports while on your period can be uncomfortable.
  “It’s a little annoying at first,” said Kathy Rubio, a psychology major at CSUSB who exercises at least five times a week. “It can be uncomfortable at times, but once you’re working out it’s not that bad.”
  For female athletes, getting your period does not mean your game gets postponed, or practice gets canceled. They still must play their sport through the headaches and stomach pains.
  Freshman women’s soccer player Sarah Savella says she deals with her menstrual cycle during practice and games by taking Advil, using sports tampons and wearing sliders, especially under her white uniform.
  “I make sure I always have tampons in my soccer bag in case I need them,” said Savella.
  Over the years, tampon brands like Playtex, Kotex and Tampax have targeted young female athletes with sports tampons, which makes movements like swimming, biking and running more comfortable. The idea behind the product is to make being active comfortable, so girls can focus on the activity while being worry-free about any leaking.
  “I think comfortability depends on how heavy a girl’s flow is, and her choice of sanitary product, such as pads or tampons,” said Rubio.
  Although uncomfortable, exercising during your period offers worthwhile benefits.
  Research suggests that working out can alleviate uterus muscle cramps and bloating.
  Exercise is also beneficial because it helps you sleep better the same night and boosts your endorphins, which essentially improves your overall mood.
  Drink a lot of water, get a good night’s rest and stay away from soda and fried food. Doing these things can help reduce the amount of blood you lose.
  Some women simply do not feel like working out while on their period because they feel lazy and extra fatigued. This is understandable because cramps and midnight tampon changes can affect sleeping schedules.
  Aside from exercise, a woman’s time of the month can be dealt with simply by pampering herself.
  Doing things like taking a hot bath, using a heating pad, drinking tea, taking fish oil and massaging your stomach with essential oils can help deal with period symptoms.
  A period can be a pain in the butt, but taking the right steps and being active for just 30 minutes can make all the difference in the way you experience the symptoms of your cycle.