Healthy tips to help manage your emotions during your period
Your hormones significantly affect your emotional state, causing positive and negative feelings. So what happens to our hormones during our period? Queen Estrogen rises during the first half of the menstrual cycle and drops during the second half. Your Serotonin levels also drop. As your Estrogen and Serotonin levels rise and fall, it can affect how you feel, both physically and emotionally. This is known as PMS, and it can make you feel like hiding in bed with your covers over your head.
There are ways to naturally manage hormones throughout the month so t you aren't left feeling as tired, sluggish and emotional the week before and during your period.
- Exercise: Try to exercise for 30 minutes every day. Many people feel less motivated to do strenuous activities when they are on their periods. If that is you, do more stretching than cardio. (My next blog will share tips for synching your workout routine to your cycle)
- Nutrition: We know it's hard, but resist those junk food cravings that can come along with PMS. Replace those sugary treats with a banana. Bananas are rich in potassium and vitamin B6, which can help alleviate cramps.
- Sleep: Not getting enough sleep can kill your mood, especially in the week leading up to your period.
- Stress: Unmanaged stress can worsen mood swings.
Hormones are like a rollercoaster or the ebb and flow of the tides. Knowing when to retreat and how to care for oneself is important to keeping a healthy balance during our monthly cycle.
Remember, in the week before your period, fluctuating serotonin and estrogen levels are linked to feelings of sadness and irritability. So do your best to live a balanced and healthy life and remember that your mood will be up once your estrogen increases again a few days after you get your period.
