There is plenty of information on the Internet on how to relieve pain and discomfort during menstruation. Still, it's not only the food you eat during these days that’s important. Lifestyle issues also contribute to menstrual cramps.
Here is the list of factors that make your menstrual cramps and the general feelings more severe. Of course, this is life and often we are not able to remove all the provoking factors at once, but this information will at least help you know what to expect and have some analgesics with you.
- Forgetting to take your oral contraceptive pill more than once
The main cause of the terrible pain in your period is a hormonal imbalance. If your body doesn’t receive a pill (that is a part of the systemic course) during these days, specific hormonal changes begin. This causes bleeding and pain.
The same may happen when you only first begin to take your course – you may notice a bloody discharge for the first two days. This is normal and happens due to the changes in your hormonal balance. - Going through severe stress or emotional breakdown
Stress puts the entire body out of order, influencing negatively over multiple systems. It boosts the cortisol production, which is a hormone of stress and panic. It can bring a mess into the regularity of your periods and sometimes makes them disappear altogether. - Not enough sleep
Sleeping less than eight hours a day makes your periods longer, heavier, and more painful. Despite all the endless routine you may have throughout the day, rearrange your schedule in order to leave yourself enough time to sleep. Your body will thank you for this in many ways. - Drinking too much coffee
Coffee is a well-known way to cope with fatigue and stress but you should be careful with it. If consumed in excess, it will make all these problems worse, giving only a short illusion of relief. In your period days, it is better to reduce it to a minimum or avoid completely. - Living “on the road”
Traveling is one of the greatest joys in the world but not in the days of your period. Frequent flights and climate changes are not good for your body. It needs time to adapt to the new environment and if it’s not enough, it may give many unwanted reactions. - Alcohol consumption
It sounds so tempting - to take off your stress with a shot or a glass of beer at the end of the week. But not THAT week. Alcohol will increase your bloating, bleeding intensity and make your period longer. - Training too much
Sports are good for you, but measure is the key point. There are even special exercises that help you feel better on your period. But training in the exhausting mode will cause a hormonal breakdown, especially if you only start your training.
If your pelvic pain in your period is so severe that it makes you unable to live a full life, this problem requires the attention of your gyno and a proper treatment, because it may be a symptom of some serious hormonal disorder.