As if the cramps, cravings, and mood swings weren’t enough, your period can also affect the quality of your sleep. Not cool period. The National Sleep Foundation reported that 33 percent of women experience disrupted sleep the week of their period. Why is this happening? Here are the four main culprits and how to combat them to catch the beauty sleep you deserve.
1. Rise In Body Temperature
Are you waking up in a sweat and yanking off your covers in the middle of the night? That’s because during your cycle your core body temperature raises between a half and whole degree, which may seem subtle but can cause discomfort to some.
To counter this, make sure that your bedroom is at the ideal sleep temperature, between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also try taking a warm shower before going to bed, which will make your body feel cool in contrast once you enter your room.
2. Cramps
Curse you cramps! For a lot of us ladies, periods bring on cramps, headaches, and muscle pains. These can all keep you up at night if left untreated.
For cramps, try curling up with a heating pad to relieve some of the pain. You can also take a low dosage of an over-the-counter painkiller such as Tylenol that will also help with your headache and muscle pains.
3. Mood swings
I’m in a glass case of emotion! Mood swings during your period are connected to climbing and falling hormone levels. Feelings of sadness, anxiety, and anger can easily keep you tossing and turning at night. If these feelings are severe, you may have Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and should check with your doctor.
Try meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises before bedtime to help relax and get you in a better mindset. Continue to remind yourself that the feelings that you’re experiencing are only temporary.
4. Stomach issues
Are you feeling bloated, nauseous, or experiencing indigestion? Stomach related issues tend to increase during your period and can impact your sleep.
To fix it, try to stay away from heavy meals close to bedtime. If you’re still experiencing issues, keep a food diary to see what types of foods trigger your issues and eliminate those from your diet. Sorry ice cream, can we still be friends?