Realizing that it’s that time of the month again is enough to instantly kill your good mood. Periods are stressful, upsetting, and just plain dreadful. Most guys fail to understand all the struggles and the pain girls go through while on their period.
PMSing is not a fun time. Periods come with a number of different side effects and they are always different for every girl. Sometimes you get cramps to the point where even standing is out of the question, and all you can do is lay in bed and cry. You might get moody, get bloated, break out… the list is endless.
Some girls are lucky enough to not have to experience the horrors that come with getting their period. Either way, wouldn’t it be easier for mother nature to text us and let us know we aren’t pregnant? Unfortunately, that isn’t how it works. But, there are ways we can make our periods suck a little less! Here are some of the best ways to survive that time of the month.
Easy Period Hacks
1. Keep Track of Your Period
It’s better to keep track of your period so that you can be prepared when it comes. There is nothing worse than getting a surprise visit from Mother Nature when you are in public and not prepared. If you track your period, you will know when you should start carrying your pads and tampons around with you!
There are a number of free apps you can download for free such as Period Tracker Lite and Clue Period Tracker. These apps will help you track your period easily and they are really easy to use.
2. Eat Healthier
When you are on your period, you just want to eat any food you want because your brain is releasing a little bit more serotonin than before your period starts. According to Secret Health Life, this means that your brain is happier and craves junk food 24/7. Watch the video here: However, it’s important for you to eat food with healthier carbs, such as whole grain pasta, fruits and vegetables, nuts, etc. This will decrease bloating and help make PMSing a little less intense, according to a study in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. This means you have to reduce salt intake because too much salt also causes bloating. If you want to eat chocolate, then eating dark chocolate is the way to go because dark chocolate contains magnesium, which helps fight cramps! Your body is changing during this time and it is important to take care of it. Eating healthier will make your period a lot more bearable! This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t give in to your cravings every once in awhile, just watch the rest of your diet.
3. Get active
Yeah, you heard me. Believe it or not, exercising during your period is a great thing to do. Usually girls tend to use their period as an excuse to not exercise (and yes I’m one of those girls). However, when you exercise on your period, it causes less PMSing symptoms according to the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Exercising cuts down on the terrible cramps and has a positive effect on your moods and pain levels. You don’t have to do an intense workout, a light workout, such as yoga, walking/jogging, swimming, etc. is perfect while on your period!
4. Use a heating pad
Heating pads are amazing for muscles and back pain. It also works wonders if you put it on your stomach when you’re experiencing cramps because it helps with the pain as well as stimulates blood flow. A heating pad is definitely a must for every girl. You can buy them from Amazon or a local store nearby.
5. Cut down on caffeine
If you can’t live without coffee, then this is the hardest thing you will ever do when you’re on your period. But, for the sake of your body, cutting down on caffeine is essential. The reason caffeine is bad while you’re on your period is that it worsens cramps and causes your body to retain more water. Your period is already making you feel worse, so you don’t need caffeine to make it even worse!
6. Stay hydrated
Drinking water helps you keep your body hydrated throughout the day, which is important. I understand some girls feel bloated when they are on their period. So, why drink more water? Apparently, drinking more water will easily eliminate the water building up in your body and will cause less painful cramps. Not drinking enough water can cause bad cramps, so make sure you are staying hydrated!
Overall, periods are a struggle and pain that every girl has to go through. Hopefully these hacks will help you guys get through their period a little easier next time!