Exercise Can Help Reduce Your PMS

If you feel really irritable the week before your period, you’re not alone, but there are some ways women can make their premenstrual syndrome more bearable.

The symptoms of PMS include:

• Mood swings
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating

A mild amount of exercise can help women feel less irritable or short-tempered, says Valerie Muoio, MD, co-chief of ambulatory care and women’s health at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. Exercise raises a person’s level of endorphins, which can help them feel emotionally better; Dr. Muoio notes it can also help with the bloating some women experience during PMS.

If PMS is interfering with your regular activities, a physician can help you determine if you have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which can be treated with low-dose birth control pills or other medications such as a lower dosage of Prozac, Dr. Muoio says.

“Those women, by and large, should see a physician, because there are things we can do and generally these women have already tried the diet, exercise approach and have not found it to be successful,” Dr. Muoio said.

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