Cranky, angry, or sad… here are 6 emotions that are normal during your period

The moment periods hit us, they take a toll on our emotions. Well, that’s what most women feel during that time of the month. It’s largely because of fluctuating hormones, ladies. But here’s the question — is it normal to turn into an emotional snowball?

The answer to this question is a big fat YES! You heard it right. Getting emotional or being a little moody is a part of premenstrual syndrome. As part of PMS, you can also experience other symptoms like period cramps, fatigue, headache, acne, change in appetite, etc. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 85 percent of menstruating women experience at least one PMS symptom regularly.    

It is seen that mood swings happen majorly in the initial days of your period, and they disappear as your period progresses. If you’re still wondering what’s going wrong with you, let us tell you it is normal and you aren’t at fault.

If you are feeling any of these six emotions during your period, there is nothing to worry about

1. Crying

Have you heard of serotonin? Basically, this hormone is THE hormone that regulates our mood. If it is present in large amounts in your body, you will feel low as ever. If it is on the lower side, you will feel elated.

Unfortunately, during your period, it is at an all-time high and that’s why even the smallest of all things can make you a little oversensitive. Maybe that’s possibly why you end up crying so easily!

2. Angry

Periods are pretty uncomfortable, don’t we all know that? With all the hormones fluctuating, it makes things all the more ugly. At times, you also get confused about what you’re feeling. After all, emotions take over you in so many ways! This mash-up can be really hard to tackle, and it can infuriate you, making you feel angry and exasperated.

3. Sad

Being sad is a consequence of low endorphins and high serotonin in the body. During this lockdown situation, things have taken a turn for the worse. To tackle this, you can engage in low-intensity workouts like yoga. You can even meditate, while doing so.

It’s a fact that exercising can help you beat the period blues. You can also indulge in something that makes you happy. The purpose is to boost your endorphins, so suit yourself.

4. Irritable

This majorly happens when you aren’t resting enough during your period. Sleeping doesn’t just help you deal with menstrual cramps, but it also regulates your mood by eliminating fatigue. So, if you don’t want to be irritated during your period, sleep well.

5. Anxious and depressed

Firstly, we need to understand that being sad isn’t equal to being depressed or anxious. That’s because these two terms have deep-rooted reasons. Technically, this is known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder or PMDD. It majorly happens, when the receptors of your brain react abnormally to fluctuating hormones.

In this situation, a person suffers from major anxiety attacks, despair, and lasting irritability. It won’t be wrong to say that it is an exaggerated version of PMS.

If someone has PMDD, these symptoms disappear a week before the commencement of your period. If they don’t go away in a month’s time, one must seek help.

6. Binge eating

This majorly happens when you don’t maintain a healthy diet. This results in your blood sugar levels dipping, and that means you binge on foods that you should avoid. Another reason for binge eating is momentary satisfaction that you get out of that ice-cream or your favourite bar of chocolate. Once the satiety levels dip, your cravings start again. That’s another reason you tend to gain weight during your periods.

Our advice to you would be to eat small and frequent meals. Incorporate a lot of salads, fruits, and nuts. Most importantly, avoid too much sugar, alcohol, and smoke. Lastly, don’t forget to take your supplements as they will help you keep your spirits high during this time.

Remember you aren’t a moody person or a cry baby . It’s just your hormones talking.