This month, as part of the Women and Girls Like Us campaign, we are highlighting the realities young girls face when it comes to periods, hormones and body changes. This can have such an impact on their experiences of physical activity whilst being at school and we want to raise awareness around this and help every girl feel confident in staying active!
Being a young girl in school comes with it’s fair share of challenges. From the pressure of schoolwork, juggling friendships, relationship pressures to then managing the changes in emotions due to puberty. For many girls these changes in hormones can feel daunting. It makes participating in the smallest of things feel out of reach. However, being physically active should be something all girls feel confident and safe in doing but also enjoy no matter what stage of life they’re in.
Puberty, Periods & PE: What’s Really Going On?
Changes, more changes, and even more changes makes this moment in a young girl’s life physically and emotionally draining. It can make young girls feel uncomfortable and intimated to participate in school sports due to a number of reasons. As a young girl experiencing hormonal changes, it can affect their energy levels, mood, concentration but also anxiety about the smallest things. It effects views on body image, an increase in sensitivity, and overall discomfort. Not only that but as a young girl there’s always the stress and worry about leaks, feeling of embarrassment and having that fear of being judged. So naturally it’s easier to think about not taking part in school sports during this time. All these feelings are valid and it’s something all young girls go through or can relate to. However, these are the barriers we want to overcome and with the right support we can do just that. Research by Women in Sport showed that 64% of young girls who were active before puberty stop being active by the end of it.
By creating awareness around these challenges that young girls face we are encouraging these conversations. As well as that, we can begin normalising these experiences. When young girls start feeling understood and supported, they are more likely to feel encouraged to engage in physical activity and school sports. Schools can begin implementing these changes by offering more flexible PE options. Also, by educating students around menstrual heath and therefore supporting more open conversations. We can then start breaking these barriers and allowing young girls to feel like they are being heard about their worries and concerns.
You Can Still Be Active
One thing all young girls need to hear is that periods are natural! They are part of growing up and you are not alone in that. They should not be a barrier for anything in life, especially physical activity. In fact, staying active during your period is actually something to be encouraged. It has many benefits including easing cramps and boosting your mood. It’s something that can be done safely with the right preparation. So, on that note we have come up with some simple tips for you, to help you stay active whilst on your period:
- Wear the right products: Whether it’s pads, tampons, or period pants, choose what feels most secure and comfortable for you.
- Stay hydrated: Drinking water helps with energy levels and can reduce bloating, dizziness and help with fatigue.
- Choose comfy clothing: Dark colours and loose clothing can help girls feel more confident and decrease anxiety around leaks.
- Listen to your body: Some days might feel harder than others and that’s natural. Slow movement like walking or stretching maybe the direction to go.
A Confident Future
Supporting young girls through their ups and downs of puberty and periods starts with having more open conversations, that everyone should be part of. Young girls should be able to approach this topic more freely and not feel embarrassed to speak about it. We can all do this by creating more inclusive and safe environments. When young girls see figures of authority speak more positively about these changes and encourage movement it helps remove these limitations and build overall self-confidence.
So, let’s keep the conversation going as every girl deserves the chance to feel heard, supported and the chance to be active no matter what time of the month it is. Every person should get the chance to enjoy all the benefits physical activity has to offer.
