Let’s face it, everyone has trouble on their periods. Even if you tell yourself your periods aren’t as bad as other peoples, it still doesn’t mean they are an enjoyable experience. Cramps, mood swings and the general flow of blood just aren’t pleasant. Period.
Sure, there are ways you can combat period problems, but until you’ve figured out the key to fixing your period problems, you’ll probably find yourself cursing mother nature.
However, periods aren’t talked about openly in many places. There is a stigma around periods, they’re often seen as “dirty”, which simply isn’t true. Worst of all, not talking about, and normalizing, periods, can lead to health issues being undiagnosed or simply dismissed.
It’s important that we open up the period conversation, normalizing it for men and women alike. To start these conversations, we’re sharing 5 common experiences that everyone who menstruates can relate to (and maybe even giggle at).
1. When Your Hot Water Bottle is Your Best Friend
The little comforts make all the difference on your period. If you find a hot water bottle is your bestie during your period, know you are not alone. The warmth soothes cramps and just generally makes you feel better.
We’ve all been there, just wanting to go home to our hot water bottle during our period.
2. When Everything Makes You Cry
During your period, you may have low levels of serotonin, this can cause you to cry at just about anything and everything.
No matter how good your poker face normally is, a few days before and the first few days of your period might find you crying at the smallest thing.
Find yourself running for a box of tissues when the commercial for supporting a local animal shelter comes on? You’re not the only one!
3. Having to Plan Your Clothing Based on Your Flow
You’ve got a hot new outfit planned, but your uterus has plans of its own. It seems like every time you reach for your white jeans you’ve got your period shouting, “Hey girl, hey!” The threat of leakage is real.
Black jeans or better yet, yoga pants, it is on those heavy flow days.
4. When Chocolate Is The Only Thing That Helps
Period cravings are real. Your body is losing a lot of important minerals during your bleed, so cravings are your body crying out for what needs replacing.
It may be a cliché, but if you find yourself grabbing the chocolate on your period, you're not the only one! Eating chocolate is known for inducing “happy hormones”, a much-needed pick me up for your period.
And if you choose the right chocolate it can actually be beneficial. Did you know that dark, cocoa-rich chocolate contains magnesium? This is a mineral you're generally missing out on during your period, so a little bit of chocolate can help you fix that.
5. The Realisation That Period Products Commercials Lie
You know the ones… Those commercials that show a woman doing all sorts of sports and running through a spring meadow during her period, with absolutely no issues because her pad has wings. Yeah right…
The reality is that most women slow down, need more rest, and aren’t out looking for a meadow to gallop through. It’s totally normal to need to rest more—I mean, you are shedding the lining of your uterus that took almost a month to build.
While we’re on the subject of ridiculously inaccurate advertising, how about we stop pretending period blood is blue? One minute you’re watching a TV show where zombies are munching away on the living in a goary, bloody scene, but the next you’re seeing blue liquid being poured over a pad. Heaven forbid we acknowledge that women bleed blood.
If you find yourself in any of these comics, don’t panic. You certainly are not alone. While we’ve all been told periods are designed to make us miserable and hijack our lives, it doesn’t have to be that way. Simple steps, such as eating the right foods or taking supplements can help to alleviate these problems.
Can you relate to these comics? Let me know in the comments below!
About The Author
