When myperiodcomes around, I transform into a nervous, jittery version of myself.
(As if bleeding for a week straight wasnt frustrating enough.)
Youre not crazy, its a real thing, he says.
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Heres what they said.
Take a look at your birth control.
The reason youfeel so edgyas your flow nears?
Plunging hormones, Dr. Klein says.
the neurotransmitters responsible for keeping you relatively calm and stress-free).
Nonhormonal birth control methods like the copper IUD, however, dont have the same effect.
Of course, some people find that theirmood plummetsbecauseof the pill.
Nail down a regular de-stressing routine.
She notes that it can help make you feel less irritable and reactive when you actually get your period.
Of course, its important to land on a habit that specifically calms you down.
If you should probably completely turn off your brain to feel zen, meditation might be a good idea.
(Here areseven simple mindfulness exercises you’ve got the option to easily fit into your day.)
Ideally, you want to do it for 10 to 15 minutes a day throughout the month.
Maybe you commit to a quick guided meditation every evening or a few yoga poses during your lunch break.
(Here are a fewrelaxing exercisesto start with.)
Try your best to get enough sleep.
Your periodand all the hormonal changes and cramps it can triggermay also mess with your sleep.
when those hormonal shifts are happening and your body needs all the downtime it can get.
Aim for seven to eight hours per night (heres abedtime habit one sleep specialist swears byto help).
Move and nourish your body.
As Reese Witherspoon famously said inLegally Blond, Exercise gives you endorphins.
Endorphins make you happy.
That famous logic is actually pretty scientifically accurate and also applies to period anxiety, Dr. Domar says.
You have to try different exercises until you find one youre actually going to do, says Dr. Domar.
(Here are13 exercise motivation tips to help you stick to a routine.)
Know when its time to work with a therapist.
Roughly one in 20 people who menstruate have it, but the condition is seriously underdiagnosed.
But it doesnt have to feel like thatin fact, it shouldnt.
But in the meantime?
