Are you looking for ways to make your period less sucky?
Periods. We all have them, and I think its safe to say that we all hate them with a passion! No matter how much you try to take menstruation in stride every single month, there is always something that becomes an obstacle to your happiness. It might be bad cramps, it might be terrible mood swings, it might be an unfortunate leaking situation or it might just be the fact that your time of the month has coincided with an important date or vacation time. For something so relatively simple, our periods sure can throw us for a loop every month! Here are a few ways to make your period less sucky.
One of the best ways to make your period less sucky is to know when it's coming. Some women like to ignore their menstrual cycles all month until their period actually comes, and this can take them by surprise and throw them off kilter. However, if you track your cycle and start to learn which symptoms you experience at which times, then you will be able to get on top of things and anticipate better. For example, taking painkillers in advance of the pain.
The natural desire when you're on your period is to crawl into bed and lay curled up with a hot water bottle, but several scientific studies have proven that your symptoms are much more effectively relieved if you can get out and about and be active. Just going for a light walk around the block can have a positive effect.
Rather than giving in to temptation and living on chocolate and French fries for a week, try to make smarter food choices when you're on your period. Our body’s trigger food cravings to find instant happiness amidst the mood changes, but if you opt for whole grains or complex carbs, these cravings will be satisfied for much longer.
There is a widespread scientific belief that many of the period-specific over the counter medications are actually not as effective as some of the more traditional all-purpose painkillers. Stick to good old fashion Ibuprofen, making sure not to exceed the 600mg every six hours guidelines.
A bad period can really suck all of the energy out of your body, but you should avoid instant pick me ups like Red Bull because while they might perk you up in the short term, you will only experience an even greater sugar crash later on, and you will still be on your period! Something like green tea is much more effective in this situation, as it will provide you with more sustainable energy.
It’s really all about doing whatever you can to make the week-long experience a much more enjoyable one. You’ve got years of periods ahead of you, so don’t feel bad about doing a spot of internet shopping when you are at home feeling sorry for yourself! Anything to perk you up!