It can be hard manage period pain sometimes. If you’re at home, whether it’s the weekend, you’re working or if you needed to take the day off, how can you best look after your body? In the past we’ve spoken about natural painkillers for period pain. This time, we’ve compiled a list of the best ways to manage period cramps while in the comfort of your home.
Get a back or belly rub – or hot water bottle
Are you lucky enough to have loved ones around? If so, ask them to lend their hands for a gentle back or belly rub to help relieve your period pains. The power of human touch is real!
If you’re alone or live with a housemate who you aren’t close with, a heated wheat bag or a hot water bottle will do the trick! Targeted heat can be soothing, and you can place the heat exactly where you need it, and it won’t tire out like a companion. If they aren’t doing the trick, a bath is a great pain reliever if cramps feel too much. The full immersion can help at the height of pain to help relieve the discomfort.
Go for a walk or gentle jog
If you’re able, try and go for at least a short walk – you might not feel like it at first, if you’re cramping up and in pain, but going for a walk or a gentle jog can sometimes be like medicine. Walking moves your hip flexors and stretches the muscles around your pelvis and abdomen, which can really help to relieve cramps. If you can’t get outside, then walking or jogging on the spot will do the same thing, or you could try some yoga to ease period pain.
Eat and drink well
Around your period you’ll experience a natural fluctuation in hormones. There are foods which will help your period to go as smoothly as possible. And then, there are foods you can eat which might make your period pains worse.
Foods that are inflammatory like dairy, alcohol, refined sugar and caffeine can make bloating and cramps worse, so try to minimise your intake of these as much as possible. We know,it’s a lot to expect, especially since these are all of the fun foods, but your body will thank you for it.
Eating foods rich in Omega-3, such as salmon, chia seeds, mackerel and flax seeds can help to reduce the pelvic pain. Also, choosing iron-rich foods like leafy greens, beetroot and plain chocolate will replenish your body’s iron levels, which is important if you lose a lot of blood. If you can’t get hold of these foods at the moment, then perhaps you could find a good supplement.
Meditation for pain
If you’re experiencing distraction from the pain, take 20 minutes or so to practise some mindfulness. Meditation can be a helpful way to rethink and sit with pain more comfortably. This can be especially useful if you experience really bad pain during your period. If you’ve taken painkillers and are waiting for them to kick in, do a quick meditation. There are lots of resources and guided meditations around pain to help you.
Distract yourself
This one is flippant in comparison. We know how gruelling period pains can be, especially if you suffer from a condition like endometriosis or PCOS.
But if you are in the middle of a bout of period pains, the more you think about how much pain you’re in, the more tense your body will be, and the worse the pain will be. If you are able to distract yourself with something else – whether that be a call with a friend or even just watching some easy going television or locking into a game, you might find that the pain eases off as you become absorbed in something else.
Of course, some period pain isn’t possible to think your way out of. If your period pains are extreme, then this may be a sign that something is wrong. You can read our blog about when to get checked for endometriosis here.
Take a nap
When we fall asleep, our bodies let go of tension in ways that they can’t while we’re awake and holding ourselves upright in the world. Make use of this and try to get some sleep if you can. Your body will also lower levels of cortisol which is the stress hormone, so the chances are that you’ll wake up feeling much better afterwards! And even if you don’t, at least your body will have gotten some rest.
Do you have any other tips for managing your period pains while you’re at home? Let us know in the comments below.
