Did you know your menstrual cycle can last anywhere from 24 to 38 days?
They’re never fun, but monthly periods are a sign your cycle is normal and that your body is functioning properly. Up to 90 percent of people who menstruate have said they experience symptoms like cravings, breast tenderness, or cramps. There are ways you can mitigate these symptoms, though, and make your period easier to bear.
Luckily, we’re here to help. Read on for a complete guide on how to feel better on your period.
Treat Yourself
If you find yourself craving dark chocolate during your period, don’t be afraid to treat yourself. Chocolate with a high cocoa content can actually help relieve cramps. Since it’s a food high in both iron and magnesium, it’s almost like you’re putting on armor when you indulge.
The sugar in dark chocolate can also signal your brain to produce serotonin, a feel-good chemical that’s great for helping to stabilize your mood and induce feelings of happiness.
Take Magnesium-Rich Foods
Whether it’s spinach, grains, quinoa, or black beans, magnesium-rich foods are a great way to alleviate period symptoms, like cramps. You can even turn to supplements that make getting this nutrient into your diet a lot easier.
Magnesium has been shown to help calm the nervous system and reduce the overall activity of the hypothalamic gland. That means less anxiety due to lower levels of a stress hormone known as cortisol.
Magnesium may even help reduce insulin resistance, making it easier for your body to maintain normal blood sugar levels during your period. If you ever find yourself feeling weak or shaky, turning to magnesium may prove to be a real lifesaver.
Get Moving
Exercising generally releases endorphins throughout your body, which can help combat those pesky mood swings you might experience during your period. It also helps increase blood flow, great for helping ease away menstrual cramps.
If you’re unable to exercise or don’t feel like it, a quick wiggle to your favorite song can have the same effect.
Stay Hydrated
If you’re feeling bloated, hydration is key. It’s important to drink eight or nine glasses of water a day when you’re not on your period, but it can help even further when you are. Consuming warm water is also a great way to help with cramps.
Warm water can help increase blood flow and further relax those cramped muscles you’re experiencing. If you don’t like drinking plain warm water, you can stir in honey or herbal tea.
Either way, if you’re dehydrated, then your body tends to feel sluggish and you can feel irritable. You’re also more likely to feel hungry and it can lead to headaches. That’s why it’s important to always have something to drink when you leave home.
Consider Healthy Fats
Whether it’s avocado toast or salmon dishes, both are great sources of healthy fats. That makes them great for helping reduce inflammation while you’re on your period, which is the main cause of sore muscles, bloating, and stress.
When you reduce inflammation, you soothe your entire body and help boost your mood as a result.
Naps Are Necessary
Feeling exhausted during your period is fairly normal. Unless you’re experiencing an extreme drop in energy each time of the month, an extra nap can help a lot.
There’s a lot going on in your body around this time, making it a lot harder to maintain its normal strength and energy levels. Your body has spent the days you were PMSing gearing up for a fertilized egg to start growing inside it. When that doesn’t happen, your body starts shedding the uterine lining and your hormone levels can plummet.
Don’t be afraid to lie down — even for just a few minutes — if you’re feeling tired during your period.
Take Medicine
If things get bad enough, there’s no shame in turning to pain medicine.
In fact, if you’re staying up late or you’re unable to socialize due to the extra pain around your period, pain medication is absolutely necessary. If you find this pain becoming chronic, though, it might be time to speak with your doctor about solutions.
Even if your pain isn’t chronic, though, it’s possible to experience sleep disturbances like insomnia and even vivid dreams. Often, a day in bed with snacks and your coziest blankets when you have the time is a great solution to these problems.
Keep Track of Things
If you don’t already keep track of your period and its symptoms, this is your sign to start doing so. You feel a lot of different pain and emotions during that time of the month, and it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks.
It can also be difficult to know for sure whether the things you’re feeling are linked to your period, or if something else is going on. Having solid documentation of your symptoms can help you feel more confident about bringing them up during doctor’s appointments or check-ups. It can also help you feel more confident about scheduling the appointment to begin with.
Learn How to Feel Better on Your Period
The symptoms that come with PMS and being on your period are never fun. That’s why, above all else, it’s important to listen to your body and place yourself and your comfort first. Movement can help with certain symptoms, but if you’re tired, you should rest.
Luckily, Mamma Chick is here to help. Our supplement drink mix is made to support your body and help reduce PMS symptoms. You can grab a container of your very own here today.
