How do you experience your period?

rest and reflection? power through pain? cramp city?

this phase is probably the most universally unique…

when:

Your menstrual phase, otherwise known as your period or bleed, will usually last between 3-7 days. Depending on various factors (such as hormonal contraception and / or general imbalances) this phase will vary hugely from person to person, however you should be aware of what is normal for you.

An important point: pain is not normal for anyone.

what:

The corpus luteum (empty follicle that has released an egg) gets reabsorbed by the body, as oestrogen hits its lowest point and progesterone levels also decline. As your hormones are now at their lowest point, your uterus sheds the thick endometrial lining that it has built up during the luteal phase. Your core body temperature drops, your metabolism starts to slow down again (you may notice that after all the luteal cravings your appetite diminishes seemingly overnight, or you may not, which is also fine!) and prostaglandins (a group of unique lipid compounds that have hormone-like effects - they influence various processes in the body when they’re created in certain tissues) are created, leading to that cramping sensation that kick starts the flow of blood.

Depending on the state of your hormones, and whether or not you suffer with a condition like PCOS or endometriosis, your period can either be quite a peaceful and uneventful time, or it can be hell. The two most important factors to establish whether or not you have a “normal period” are as follows:

1. Is it regular for you?

2. Are you still able to do daily activities during your period?

If the answer to either one of those is no, then you need to seek medical advice: https://thelowdown.com/speak-to-a-doctor

how:

Periods are probably the most universally unique phase of the menstrual cycle, because there is such a wide variety of experiences across the population. Length of your period, heaviness of flow, general fatigue, and other lifestyle factors all play a role in your experience, so some people will float through their period as if it isn’t even there, while others will feel heavy and tired for most of it.

Universally we all benefit from prioritising sleep during this time, and taking advantages of natural hormone shifts to reflect. The left (analytical) and right (emotional) hemispheres of your brain communicate the most during this time, which means it’s a great time to integrate how you feel about situations in your life and make decisions about how to proceed.

movement

For anyone experiencing cramps, gentle movement is a good idea, as it can help ease pain and the endorphins act as a painkiller. If you are moving a lot, eat. If you are not moving as much, eat. Food plays an important role in boosting recovery and aiding metabolism. Movement (as in not sitting still) will also help with blood flow; you’ll find that if you spend a lot of your period walking around or stood up, your period could be reduced by almost a whole day, simply because it flows faster and spends less time sitting around in your pelvis (this is more relevant for menstrual cup users as there’s no absorbent material drawing the blood down and out). Test it out next time you have a period and see what happens!

Ultimately, know your own period; if you feel fine, have energy, and aren’t doing that age-old idiotic thing of just “pushing through”, then go for it! If however you feel bloated, sluggish, and like you prefer the sofa for company over people, embrace your inner sloth and use this as your built-in rest period (and don’t listen to the advice from your fitness watch).

Nutrition

Use a combination of the following to help ease cramps and boost immune function. Quercetin is a type of plant compound known as a phytoestrogen, It helps protect and support the ovaries from oxidative stress, and supports healthy oestrogen levels whilst keeping inflammation levels low. This compound mimics some of the same actions as oestrogen in the body, which is one reason to consider taking it during your period when oestrogen levels are at their lowest. Nettles help replenish magnesium in the body which will boost recovery and help with a heavy flow. They are also a good source of iron which helps to build up the blood after during and after menstruation.