Let's face it, the idea of exercising during your period might seem counter-intuitive at first. We often just want to curl up under the duvet... But trust us: if you can find a little dose of motivation, it can truly be beneficial. We explain everything.
Article Summary
1- The benefits of sports during your period
Exercising can help relieve cramps and other symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, especially low mood. Indeed, after 20 to 30 minutes of physical exercise, endorphins are released and can help soothe your discomforts and improve your mood.
Endorphins are hormones produced by the brain that bind to opiate receptors and act like morphine: they reduce pain (analgesic) for about 4 hours and cause a feeling of relaxation and well-being (anxiolytic) for about 6 hours. So it's better than medication!
In addition, exercise can help regulate hormone levels and reduce bloating by promoting transit.
Of course, it is important to listen to your body and not overdo it. But moderate exercise (like a walk or a yoga session) can really help manage your period symptoms.
That being said, to fully enjoy sports during your period, you need to find the ideal period product: practical, comfortable, reliable, and all-terrain. For us, it is of course the menstrual cup — here is why, in 3 matches.
2- Match: Menstrual cup vs. Period pad
Practicality:
Period pads are undeniably simple to use. You put them in your panties and you're off to your favorite activity!
Menstrual cups require an adaptation period when you first start using them (but within 1 to 3 cycles, there's normally no more issue). Moreover, we recommend emptying it before a sports session for peace of mind.
Comfort:
Period pads can show under your leggings, shift if you move a lot, and sometimes their sticky part folds and sticks to your skin. And then, despite what the ads say, you feel it, like a diaper...
The cup, once properly in place, is completely invisible and you don't feel it. You can move however you want — if you don't have abdominal discomfort, you'll be able to exercise as if you didn't have your period.
Reliability:
A pad that shifts means the possibility of a stain. If you have a heavy flow, the risk is very real. Especially since if you make an intense effort, you will feel the blood flowing, which can stress you out.
With a cup, the risk of leaks is extremely low, and since the blood stays in the cup, you don't have that flowing sensation that can distract you.
All-terrain:
With a period pad, it is impossible to swim or wear a leotard. With La Cup Luneale, since there is no stem, all sports are possible: horseback riding, yoga, dance, running — without friction or discomfort. Even top-level athletes use it!
Period pad: 1 - Menstrual cup: 3AND THE WINNER IS: La Cup 🎉
3- Match: Menstrual cup vs. Tampon
Practicality:
If it's tampons with an applicator, they are extremely simple products to use. For tampons without an applicator, it's a bit more technical, but it remains accessible.
The cup is a little more complicated to get the hang of the first few times, but once the adaptation period has passed, it is equivalent.
Comfort:
You shouldn't feel your tampon if it is inserted correctly. However, if you have to go to the bathroom during your session, you will have to change it (because the string soaks up urine).
You also won't feel your cup during your sports activity, and if you have to go to the bathroom, there's no need to change it.
Reliability:
The tampon is very reliable during your sports session. If you changed it beforehand, there shouldn't be any leaks.
The cup is also very reliable.
All-terrain:
You can practice all sports with a tampon. But if you go to the pool, the string might stick out and the tampon will get soaked with water — it will need to be changed at the end of your swim.
With a cup, you can practice all sports and even swim: it won't soak up water.
AND THE WINNER IS: La Cup 🎉
4- Match: Menstrual cup vs. Menstrual panty
Practicality:
The menstrual panty is very simple to use: you put it on like regular underwear and you're good to go. But if you have heavy periods, you will have to change it at the end of your session — which also means rinsing it in the locker room.
With a cup, even with heavy periods, it will last your whole session.
Comfort:
A menstrual panty is almost like a normal panty. On the other hand, you will feel the blood flowing during your activity, which can cause stress.
With La Cup, you don't feel it and you don't feel the blood flowing either.
Reliability:
The menstrual panty is very reliable if you don't have a very heavy flow or large clots.
The cup can be used with all types of flows, from very light to very heavy.
All-terrain:
You can practice all sports with a menstrual panty, except those requiring swimming.
With a cup, you can practice all sports and even swim, regardless of your flow.
AND THE WINNER IS: La Cup 🎉
In short, as you've gathered, La Cup is objectively the best period product for exercising during your period: we recommend it to you once you manage to get the hang of it and find the right technique. All you have to do is choose a cup made of platinum medical silicone and a size adapted to your flow to stay peaceful and zen during your sessions.
Disclaimer *words matter*: we do not use the word woman in our articles because we want to be inclusive: there are women who do not have their periods and men who do (trans men). We also do not use the term feminine hygiene products because hygiene implies that periods are dirty, which is not the case: we prefer period products.
