When it’s that time of the month, the struggle to stay happy and positive is real. You’re dealing with cramps, headaches, fatigue, and mood swings. We think PMS was best described by Jess in New Girl: “I’m PMSing! It hurts; it feels like I’ve laid a million eggs, and they’re all hatching. I feel like I wanna murder someone, and also, I want soft pretzels.” If you’re looking for ways to boost your mood, here are some suggestions.
What’s With the Irritability?
If you’ve noticed Aunt Flo makes you irritable, you aren’t alone. During a menstrual cycle, a lot of hormonal changes happen that heavily impact moods and trigger negative feelings such as anger and irritability.
How to Boost Your Mood
Here are some ways to turn that frown upside down! Hey, it’s worth a shot.
Move It, Move It
We get it; the last thing you feel like doing is moving, but even low-intensity exercise can relieve your body of aches and pains. Exercising also releases endorphins, which can keep those mood swings at bay. It is also a great way to burn off some steam.
Drink Water
Staying hydrated during your period alleviates bloating and cramps. Plus, when you become dehydrated, your body feels more tired and irritable, which is the last thing you want!
Have Some Dark Chocolate
Chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, may help with cramps, stress, and mood swings. And if that wasn’t convincing enough, you probably don’t need us to tell you that sugar releases serotonin.
Take a Nap
You won’t regret taking a short nap. You’ll wake up feeling rested and have more energy to get you through your day.
Track Your Symptoms
Tracking your symptoms is a great way to prepare for your cycle and pinpoint when you’ll experience certain symptoms. You can also take this information to your doctor, who can help you by making nutritional suggestions or linking mood swings to low levels of nutrients in your body.
Plan a “Self-Care” Day
Planning the ultimate self-care day is a fun way to treat yourself while your body does its thing. So whether it’s booking “the works” at your favorite spa or staying in and watching Netflix, take a day to spoil yourself and enjoy every last second of it.