Every girl understands that feeling when their “bloody buddy” is about to pay a visit. You know, that time of month rolls around when you whip out the granny panties, Advil becomes your best friend and you can’t go anywhere without your heating pad. Believe me, we all dread it. But, what if I said I could make your period a little less painful so people can stop saying that you’re “ovary-reacting.”
Below are some tips to help ease that time of the month:
Water
I’m sure we’ve all heard about how chocolate is supposed to help with the painful cramps women get, but staying hydrated and drinking as much water as you can is paramount. From my own personal experience, I can definitely say the more water I drink when I’m on my period the less achy I am. If you’re not the biggest water drinker, try adding lemon, fruit or other flavors to make it more sweet.
Stay away from: Caffeine (I know that’s a tough one, I need my coffee too.)
Stay Active
This one might sound crazy, but when I say stay active, I don’t mean run a marathon or anything. Sometimes simply going for a walk or doing yoga can make you feel a lot better. Yoga is proven to help with period cramps as well as calm the mind since mood swings are very common during that time of the month. The best yoga positions to alleviate menstrual pain according to GYN Surgical Solutions are the Supine Twist and Child’s Pose. This is because these positions, “will stretch your lower back muscles, loosening tension in an area that often aches during menstruation.”
Track Your Period
Tracking your period can be very beneficial for staying on top of when you’ll get it. This can also help avoid any unexpected surprises. There’s so many apps that do a great job of tracking your period and keeping you updated on when it’s about to arrive. My personal favorite app that I use and absolutely love is Clue. Not only does it keep tabs on when your period is coming, but has other features that measure your mood, sleep patterns, exercise and other symptoms you face during that time. Clue gives the ultimate breakdown of your period each month to track any changes that are happening. It also displays your cycle as a whole, such as: when you’re ovulating, how many days until you’re supposed to get your next one and how long your average period lasts.
Overnight Pads
No one appreciates period leaks and unfortunate stains on clothes, especially in the middle of the night. To avoid this, I totally recommend wearing overnight pads. It will make your life so much easier. The point of these pads is to provide extra protection. Everyone sleeps in different positions and sometimes the wrong one can leave a little stain on your pjs. The pad itself has a lot of extra coverage and is much more absorbant. So, on those days with a heavy flow, I certainly suggest you purchase these and save yourself an extra load of laundry.
Extra Tip: Use meat tenderizer and add some water to get rid of those pesky blood stains, especially those you weren’t able to get to earlier!
Drink Ginger Ale
Nausea can be another symptom women face during their period. To nip this in the bud, drinking ginger ale or adding ginger and lemon to your tea can offset this nausea you’re experiencing. Ginger helps settle the stomach and lower inflammation which can also tackle those menstrual cramps. Whenever I have an upset stomach, regardless of I’m on my period, drinking a glass of ginger ale will never fail to make me feel better.
Embrace the Bloat
Whenever I’m on my period I always feel like a ball of mush. I feel extra bloated and not as confident in my skin during this time of the month. But, this is completely natural. Embrace that bloat and understand that this is all part of your cycle. Your period is a beautiful and powerful thing!