Mar 17, 2021
10 Self-Care Tips For When You Are Experiencing The Period Blues
Feeling sad, anxious, lonely and moody during that time of the month? Try these tips.
All of us females experience it at different levels when that monthly visitor visits, sometimes we don’t even see it coming.
Do you have those days when you are feeling light as a feather, happy, minding your day-to-day tasks and just living life. Then suddenly you feel this heaviness in your stomach. You’re feeling sad for no reason, anxious and everyone around you is starting to irritate you. The monster has now arrived.
Sometimes this monster visits before the period, during your period or God forbid, he’s there before the period and decides to extend his stay and continue to stay during your menstrual week. That is, two out of the four weeks in a month you don’t even feel like yourself.
Our hormone levels rise and fall during our menstrual cycle affecting how we feel both physically and mentally. This is known as PMS, and for some of us unlucky ones it could even be PMDD, a severe form of PMS.
Here are 10 Self-Care Tips For When You Are Experiencing Period Blues
1. Give into your cravings and DON’T feel guilty about it!
Yes that’s right! Eat all the chocolate, pizza, cake and ice-cream you want. Okay, maybe not ALL but let yourself indulge without feeling guilt. It’s hard to do when you are already feeling like a basketball is stuffed inside your stomach with all the bloat but comfort food is called comfort food for a reason. Just know it isn’t the end of the world if you break your diet and you can always refresh and restart your healthy eating the next day.
2. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables
This tip may seem like it’s contradicting to the first tip but it isn’t. Ideally, eating junk food should be for one day and then next day eat healthy because ultimately the junk food is only a temporary solution for emotional distress. It’s the healthy food that s actually going to make your body heal and feel better. When you start eating healthy especially after a day of indulging you will already feel the drastic difference in your mood.
3. Watch a feel-good TV show or movie
Watching tv shows or movies that feel good will help you relax your body, mind and soul. A good romantic comedy or a chick-flick should do the trick. A tv show like ‘Modern Love’ is another good one to watch with your favorite ice-cream. Cozy up in loungewear and let yourself get lost in feel-good tv shows and movies all while eating your favorite comfort food.
4. Exercise
Again as you can see this tip seems to be contradicting the previous one What we are doing here is allowing ourselves to relax and indulge all while also ensuring we take our health into account and do what is beneficial for the body. Exercise will release endorphins which will ease stress and have you feeling better in not time.
Sitting at home and watching tv shows and movies is nice but movement is going to feel even nicer. Go for light walk, jog or lift weights at the gym. Dance in your room, go swimming or play basketball with your siblings. Whatever form of movement you can get in try doing that daily for at least 60 minutes of your day.
5. Socialize
Not everyone can be social butterflies with huge friend circles. Yes, there are also us introverts out there but even as introverts we have at least one person to connect with. When experiencing period blues we can feel so lonely so call up that friend and reconnect for a bit. Go out for a movie, have a video chat or phone call with a friend.
6. Light up a candle and read a good book while sipping on a cup of tea
Scented candles or incense can help calm your anxiety. Add in a good book on a comfy couch or bed cozied up in a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea and you have got the ideal relaxed evening. Get lost in this and forget your have your period. A lot of the times when our anxiety or stress is at an all time high the best way to calm those nerves is by finding ways to calm our nerves.
7. Take a long hot shower or bath
This is another way we can calm our nerves. Hot showers are so relaxing it’s like sitting in a steam room. Better yet you feel super clean afterward so it’s a win-win situation. After getting out of that shower or bath lotion up with your favorite moisturizer and feel really good about your silky smooth clean skin.
8. Journal
Journaling may feel like a daunting task but it’s really beneficial to release built up tension within you and clear out the fog in your mind. Spill out everything you are thinking or feeling onto an inanimate object like a piece of paper or a Word document that won’t judge you in return. A lot of the times when we vent to our friends we really are looking to release everything on our minds. Once we are done venting we feel a lot better. Why not do that through journaling instead?
While journaling add in 5 things you are grateful for and 5 things you love about yourself. It sounds cheesy but it will help silence the inner critical self which is quite prominent when we are on our period.
9. Put yourself together — do your hair, nails and makeup
If you don’t like makeup still do your hair and look presentable. Guarantee you will feel a lot better about yourself when you feel and look presentable. This is because we are programmed to appreciate aesthetic. Human beings are visual creatures. Even when we are looking at our own reflection we will appreciate ourselves more if we feel we are looking good and to feel that we must first put ourselves together.
The very act of doing something for yourself such as your hair or nails in itself will already have you feeling good about yourself because this is an act of self-love. When you take care of yourself in this way you are telling your subconscious you are worthy. You start believing it because you will see the difference reflected in the mirror.
10. Sleep it out and cry it out if you need to
Finally, when nothing seems to work just sleep it out or cry it out. Sometimes when on our period we may feel like crying for no reason at all and that is okay. Cry, release the tears and all that built up tension within and feel free, liberate yourself. Cozy up in a nice warm blanket and sleep well. Remind yourself tomorrow will be another day, a new day, a fresh start and you will try to feel better tomorrow but for now let yourself wallow.
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