Things That Are Making Your Period Pain Worse

Period pains are a source of discomfort for many women. This pain hits hard and is usually very hard to ignore. 

When it comes to that time of the month, mild cramps, irritability, bloating and for some intense cramping in the uterus are to be expected.

However, there are some foods and actions that if we avoid could help reduce the intensity of your period pains. These are:

Too much caffeine

“Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor. It makes blood vessels constrict and may cause the vessels that feed the uterus to tighten,” says Dr. Lori L Shemek, the Founder/President of DLS HealthWorks.

Caffeine will therefore aggravate your cramps, irritate your uterus and increase your bloating discomfort. It is thus important to either avoid taking caffeine during your periods or to do so in little amounts.

Lack of sleep

According to dieticians not getting enough sleep can cause you body to become more stressed. This will in turn affect your pituitary gland sending your hormones out of place. Irregular and heavy periods have also been linked to lack of sleep.

Salty food

This is bad news for the lovers of foods like chips, french fries and canned foods. These sodium foods can increase already existing bloating and discomfort. Instead of using salt, you can use pepper and fresh herbs to season your food during your periods.

Not enough exercise

Period pains will make you want to stay in bed and watch reality shows but that shouldn’t be the case. Lack of activity actually worsens your period cramps. Exercises help your blood to circulate optimally and therefore it alleviates your cramps, headaches, lower back pains and bloating. 

Sugar

The craving for chocolate, ice cream and sweets are high when on your periods. This is the time you feel like treating your body. You should, however, cut short on sugar as it causes inflammation and tends to intensify cramps.