Your Period – The Emotional Rollercoaster
Approved by our medical experts
Your body goes through quite a journey when you have your period. It’s a lot going on. Hormone levels go up and down, sending you on a rollercoaster! These hormones not only produce physical symptoms like angry red spots, but they impact your emotions too.
PMS, also known as premenstrual syndrome, is a group of symptoms many people get before their period.
Even experts don’t fully know what causes PMS. But it’s largely due to changes in hormone levels around your period.
There are emotional and physical symptoms associated with these hormone changes. Both can have a knock-on effect on your mental health and how you feel about yourself. Some symptoms you might experience include:
- Greasy skin
- Greasy hair
- Difficulties sleeping
- Cravings
- Bloating
- Upset tummy (feeling sick, diarrhoea or constipation)
- Tender or painful boobs
- Headaches
- Mood swings
- Feeling grumpy, upset or anxious
- Fatigue (feeling tired)
Now we know it’s hard to see the Bloody Brilliant side of all that. But it’s all completely normal.
One of the main things to remember is to not be too hard on yourself. Your body is going through a lot.
We get it, it’s easy to say that when you haven’t just woken up from a rubbish night’s sleep with a big old spot staring back when you look in the mirror.
But the truth is, most girls and young people who have periods go through it. From that person on the bus with the perfect hair and glowing skin, to your bestie that never fails to make you laugh. Chances are they’ll feel this way at some point if they have periods.
Most of the time we’re too hard on ourselves. We’d never notice these things in others! So be as kind to yourself as you would be to your friends.
Right! Now let’s try to do something to ease the symptoms!
Grab some fresh air and stretch your legs!
Sorry! Crawling out from under the blanket to get snacks from the kitchen doesn’t count! We’re not suggesting a marathon. But a nice steady walk or some other light exercise will help.
When you exercise your body releases endorphins, these are ‘happy hormones’ that make you feel good! Being active also helps to reduce the pain from cramps. Getting out in the fresh air can help with any headaches too!
Eating healthily
So those cravings we mentioned…your cheeky hormones will be telling your body to reach for all the sugary food it can lay its hands on… Although that family pack of biscuits might seem like a good idea now, it won’t help you feel your best.
Some foods will help you to feel a bit better, whilst others will bring on the bloat.
Sleep
When we sleep it gives our bodies a chance to recharge. On the run-up to and during your period you might feel sleepier! But it makes sense when you think about how much work your body is doing.
Listen to your body and try to get at least eight to nine hours of good sleep a night. You’d be amazed at how much better you’ll feel!
Sleeping can be harder when you’re on your period if you experience cramps. If they are keeping you up, ask an adult if you can take some painkillers before bed. You could also try wearing a stick-on heat pad to help with the pain.
Time away from screens and phones is really important for good quality sleep too, so put that phone or tablet on silent or leave it downstairs. No DM is worth spoiling your sleep over!
Another great tip - instead of watching TV before bed, try having a nice, relaxing bath or shower. You could also do a guided meditation. There are some really great free apps out there that will have you drifting off in no time.
Self-care
We mentioned this one earlier, but it’s so important we thought we’d say it again! Showing yourself some love is super important, period or not!
If you’re struggling with PMS a little extra care goes a long way.
But if you find that any symptoms are becoming too difficult to deal with and nothing seems to help, you must speak to someone about it. Your mental health and wellbeing are as important as your body, so make sure you get support if you need it.
You could start by talking to a friend or family member about how you’re feeling. You can also speak to a school nurse or see your GP. They’re the experts and they will understand and be able to support you.
