What is Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)?
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) involves the physical and emotional symptoms that some (around 30%) women experience in the lead up to their period. According to women’s health support organisation, Jean Hailes, most women who go through PMS will begin to experience symptoms between 4 and 10 days before the beginning of their period and ceasing after the bleeding stops.
Symptoms can vary from relatively mild to severe and can include acne, tender breasts, migraine, fatigue, food cravings and mood changes. Although these symptoms usually subside during a women’s period and there would be at least one symptom-free week in a month, PMS more often reduces the quality of life of women.
Around 75 per cent of women experience mild PMS; while 20-30 percent experience more severe symptoms and 8 percent of women expect a reduced quality of life.
If you experience mild to severe symptoms, here are a few suggestions that may help the discomfort and pain associated with PMS.
- Exercise regularly
It can be tempting to just lie around when you are miserable from PMS but getting up and doing some exercise can be really helpful. Regular exercise allows an increased level of endorphins which ultimately elevates your mood and ease stress, sadness and anxiety.
- Make sure to get enough sleep
As PMS can leave you feeling exhausted and anxious, it is important to have plenty of rest and have enough sleep. A good sleep can do wonders for aching muscles and joints, not to mention improving your mood.
- Take supplements
Taking supplements such as multivitamins, vitamin E and essential fatty acids can significantly reduce PMS symptoms. Additionally, by having calcium supplements or implementing calcium into your diet can help prevent many PMS symptoms.
- Change your diet
Most women crave sweets before or during menstruation, however it is important to control the amount of sugar, artificial sweeteners, fat and salt while having PMS. Instead, the intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be increased in your daily food intake to ensure sufficient energy is being sustained whilst you go about your day.
- Taking medication
If your PMS symptoms are relatively severe, consider taking medication. Your local doctor or pharmacists can generally advice the appropriate medication for your symptoms. The most common medication that most women take are oral contraceptives and over the counter pain medication. If your mood is significantly affected, antidepressants may also be of help. However, it is important to consult your doctor before taking it.
PMS is unavoidable for most women who go through menstruation and it can be challenging at times. We hope these tips can offer you some comfort and help manage PMS.
For more information on women’s health, head to the Jean Hailes – For Women’s Health website here.