Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is often treated as a joke but for many women, it is a monthly nightmare. PMS is generally related to the production of oestrogen and progesterone that controls the menstrual cycle. It is also related to the sensitivity of a woman to these hormonal changes.
Muscle cramps, headaches, bloating, breast tenderness, anxiety and depression are common symptoms of PMS. These can occur 7 to 10 days before a woman's period and subsides with the onset bleeding. Though there is no set cure for PMS here are a few tips that will help you deal with it.
1. Set yourself an exercise routine - Exercising not only helps you maintain weight but also helps dealing with PMS. All you need are 30 minutes a day set aside to go for a brisk walk, jog, swim or even dance. Aerobic exercises like this improve blood circulation, ease stress and help the brain release more happy hormones.
2. Change your diet if you are feeling bloated and depressed - Cut back on simple carbohydrates like sugar and fat and increase your consumption of complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Do not attempt a low carb diet to lose weight if you suffer from PMS. Reducing the simple carbohydrates in the body and increasing the complex carbohydrates keeps you body feeling full for longer and increases the serotonin levels in the body.
3. Quit alcohol and caffeine - Drinking a glass of wine of a cup of coffee may give you temporary relief from PMS symptoms but in the long run they aggravate your PMS symptoms such as headaches, breast tenderness and mood swings. Alcohol may also contribute towards lowering the magnesium levels in your body and thereby make you feel bloated.
4. Relax - One of the effects of PMs is to make you feel anxious and tense. The easiest way to address this is by learning to relax. Try meditation or yoga for half an hour every morning. This will improve your overall health as well as soothe muscle pains.
5. Take a few supplements - Research says that certain fatty acids like omega 3 and linoleic acid can lower irritability and body aches associated with PMS. Calcium is also known to help ease PMS symptoms. Getting these nutrients in the required levels may not be possible only through your daily meals. Hence, you can also consider supplements to ease your pains.
6. Consult a Psychiatrist or Psychologist - PMS can help aggravate underlying depression, we may feel depressed as we feel it's a part of our monthly cycle and push it under the rug but it is important to know that depression does not follow the patterns of the period and it has to be tracked to know if it's just a symptom of the period or depression that can be clinically treated. Consulting a Psychiatrist or a Psychologist can help as they will try to get to the root of the problem and help you either by prescribing medication or counselling, or both.
To get any more questions or doubts cleared about your PMS symptoms or mood swings, consult a gynaecologist online on Practo.