Preach, Zooey.
Your time of the month, being ‘on’, a visit from Auntie Flo or TOM – your period. We all have them ladies, and there’s no denying that it can be a rough few days. Bloating, stomach cramps, headaches, backaches, mood swings and sore boobs…it’s not great, is it? Luckily we’ve come up with some tips that might make looking after yourself during your period a bit easier.
1. Hydrate
Whatever you’ll do we’ll do, Ed.
For lots of girls bloating is the least favourite part of being on their period, so it might seem counterintuitive to suggest drinking water. But keeping yourself hydrated is especially important at your time of the month. It can help clear your head, reduce puffiness and soreness around your tummy and help clear your skin. Add some lemon juice to jazz up normal water or try herbal tea if you want, and hopefully you’ll feel more refreshed throughout the day.
2. Get active!
When you are on your period it is so tempting to build a duvet fort, break open the Dairy Milk and watch hours of Netflix, we’ve all been there. And while it is important to take it easy, some gentle exercise will do wonders for your body and mind. Gentle exercise like yoga, swimming or just going for a walk will help blood flow and reduce cramping, and make you feel productive!
3. Try to stick to healthy food as much as possible
Believe us, we know that entire tubs of Ben and Jerry’s often feel as essential during period week as pads and tampons. But sugary food can make symptoms worse – and you’ll probably experience a sugar high followed by a crash, which can make mood swings even harder and make us more irritable! Sugar cravings can be fulfilled by healthy snacks like strawberries or grapes, which might not seem as appealing but will make you feel much better in the long run. If you really need a chocolate fix, go for raw chocolate which will give you a hit of magnesium and help regulate your blood sugar levels. Fill your body with goodness, girl!
4. Treat yourself to a good hot water bottle/heating pack
Our stomachs and backs take a good beating when we’re on our period, and a lovely hot water bottle can do wonders for soothing some of the pain. Primark sell really soft ones for just £8, or if you want to splash out you can get a fluffy teddy hot water bottle from John Lewis for £13.50! Put it across your tummy or lower back and hopefully you’ll feel muscle tension ease.
5. Reward yourself!
Having a period can be really rubbish, but if you decide to treat yourself to something during this tough week, it can make the whole process a bit easier! If you promise yourself you’ll buy a new book or DVD when you get your period, it can give you a little something to look forward to.
6. Know your period!
Understanding how our bodies work and knowing what’s normal for each individual is so important. There are loads of apps you can download which track your period flow and can predict when your next period will start so you’re not surprised! ‘Monthly Cycles’ is really good: you can input your symptoms, moods and flow so you can notice any patterns which might help you be prepared. Also make sure you always keep any painkillers you might need in your bag and work out which pads or tampons work best for you. You know yourself like no one else, so work out what’s good for you and stick to it, chick.