How to deal with premenstrual syndrome? 

  • postauthorEditorial Staff
  • postdateMarch 3, 2023
  • postreadtime5 min read
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Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a condition that occurs among women bringing a bunch of physical and emotional symptoms which tend to make women experience frequent mood changes than usual and some of them feel bloated and achy as well.  

PMS can cause mood swings which involve a sudden and unexplained change in the emotional state of women. Some of them might wake up in a good mood but start having some irritation and sadness in sometime without any reason.  

When does premenstrual syndrome occur?  

PMS symptoms can develop as early as 14 days prior to the menstrual period; however, on average, it occurs5 to 11 days prior, in most of the cases causing changes in the emotional state of women.  

Here are two more conditions that can also make women feel moodier apart from PMS 

  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): PMDD is a condition which is quite similar to PMS. However, the symptoms of PMDD are much more intense and severe which involve the changes in emotions. It can even cause major mood swings which can happen in daily life as well. Studies show that 75 percent women have PMS, only about 3-8 percent of them have the chances of suffering from PMDD.  
  • Premenstrual exacerbation: Premenstrual exacerbation is a condition which worsens the symptoms of an existing condition like anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, stress etc. It gets severe in the weeks or days near to your periods. In most of the cases, women who receive PMS treatments also have depression or anxiety.  

What causes premenstrual syndrome? 

According to experts, there is no clear evidence behind the cause of PMS but it is probably related to the hormonal fluctuations which happen during the menstrual cycle.  

The process of ovulation happens about halfway through the cycle. Due to that, estrogen and progesterone levels tend to drop and a shift in these hormones which can lead to both physical and emotional changes. It also reduces serotonin levels which is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate your mood, sleep and appetite. Low levels of serotonin cause sadness, mood swings, irritation and cravings other than physical hunger – these are the common symptoms of PMS.  

How to deal with premenstrual syndrome? 

Managing and dealing with PMS is very important in the early stages itself. If it is not taken care of properly, this condition can turn out to be harmful for our health in long term especially when it comes to our mental state. Emotions can either make our life the best or the worst.  

Here are some of the safe and natural tips on how to deal with premenstrual syndrome and its treatment which can help improve the condition:

Keep a track on your symptoms 

It is important to keep a track of your periods cycle and your emotions during the different stages. It will help you confirm your mood swings linking to your menstrual cycle, which also gives a better clarity behind the reason of your mental changes.  

You can track your symptoms according to your monthly dates through a calendar or using a period-tracking app on your phone. Look for one that allows you to add your own symptoms. 

Here is the list of symptoms women face when getting mood swings in PMS, which need to be tracked often

How to deal with premenstrual syndrome

Here is some more information – apart from mood swings, other symptoms of PMS are: 

  • Digestive issues & Bloating  
  • Headache  
  • Breast tenderness 
  • Confusion 
  • Insomnia 
  • PMS Fatigue 

Introduce some necessary lifestyle changes 

Several lifestyle factors also seem to play a role in PMS symptoms

  • Exercise: Working out releases happy hormones. The more you stay physically active, the lesser mood swings you will have. Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day or take out sometime for a brisk walk and listen to your favorite music. It will help you cope up with the feeling of anxiety and sadness.  
  • Nutrition: During PMS, you are likely to have some extra cravings for sugar and junk food, which is unhealthy in long term. This is something you must let go of. Try to keep yourself occupied with some other activities to distract yourself from cravings and eat more of fiber and protein rich foods to enhance satiety. Here are some options – have a piece of jaggery, dark chocolate, fruits, smoothies, peanut butter, fruit yogurt, sugar free desserts etc. These are some of the best foods for PMS cravings Read our article to know more about some effective ways to reduce food cravings.  
  • Sleep: Sleep is one of the best and natural medicines to avoid mood swings. Proper sleep reduces the chances of anxiety, headache, dizziness and weakness. An eight hour of good night’s sleep keeps us energized and happier. It also reduces the effect of PMS. If you are someone who has a bad sleep cycle, here are some tips that might help. 
  • Manage stress: Unmanaged stress can worsen and affect mood swings. To reduce stress, you should learn some strategies to create a work life balance, spend sometime with your closed ones, do your favorite activities, spend sometime out and exercise.   

Medication 

If you do not see any progress despite following all the ways to reduce PMS symptoms with enough patience, its time to consult with your doctor to come up with a dosage plan. Your doctor might suggest you some antidepressants and guide its consumption accordingly.  

Make sure not to be dependent on medication alone to improve the condition, however just treat it as a temporary solution.  

Find the best support 

Apart from having a word with your doctor, also talk to your family or your closed ones who can help find a way to solve your PMS problem without any hesitation. A woman has many challenges to face in her different phases of life physically, socially, and mentally. Try to make your loved ones understand about your emotional changes and request them to be supportive.  

If you suffer from mood swings often during PMS or even on off-days, join a community which makes you feel positive and help you find a life goal you can work on to distract yourself from anxiety issues.  

Talk to your colleagues, your employer about your PMS issues and ask them to cooperate with you accordingly.  

Here is what you can do as an employer to help your female team members which can provide them enough guidance on how to deal with premenstrual syndrome and it could be one of the most effective ways – Getting a Comprehensive Healthcare Plan from Onsurity.  

With Onsurity’s healthcare membership, not only you get group health insurance for your team members safety, but also multiple benefits like doctor teleconsultations through which your female staff can get lots of support from. They can book affordable/free consultations to talk about their problems, order discounted medicines and health checkups too as per the prescription and solutions through Onsurity app. 

They can even attend some energetic workout sessions through Onsurity’s fitness webinars which can help them overcome PMS and de-stress! 

Sounds helpful? Contact us to get an instant quote and subscribe to our plan today.  

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