9 Proven Ways to Relieve Period Cramps

Period cramps can be extremely painful.

Worse still, knowing that you'd have to face the same pain the month after makes it even more frustrating.

In this piece, we explore proven ways to relieve period cramps. Do these, and enjoy rest.

1. Over-The-Counter Painkillers

If natural home treatments do not reduce pain, an over-the-counter pain medication, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, may be used.

By lowering menstrual blood flow, ibuprofen may help make your period more bearable. It does this by lowering prostaglandins, the hormones that induce period pain and increased bleeding.

Follow the directions on the package or see your doctor if you have any questions about the dosing regimen or if you have any other health issues that may impact your ability to take these drugs.

2. Heat Treatment

Heat treatment may be your best option if you want to avoid taking any medicine at all. A warm bath, a heated water bottle, or any other method of applying heat to your muscles may all assist in relieving discomfort and relaxing your muscles. Relaxing in the tub or lying on your back with something warm on your sore tummy are other effective methods of relieving stress.

When your period is at its worst, nothing beats lying in bed with a warm patch on your skin to relieve the pain and discomfort.

3. Gentle Exercise

Even though it's the last thing most people want to do when they're in pain, doing some exercise might help ease the discomfort.

Gentle stretching such as taking a small walk, or practicing some yoga may help relieve the pain. Strenuous exercise may not be the best option. Endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, are released during exercise.

4. Reduce Stress

Many women claim that menstruation cramps are worsened by psychological stress. This may be because the body produces a hormone called cortisol, which may increase muscle contractions in the uterus when stressed or anxious. When it comes to stress reduction approaches, period cramp relief has not been well studied. However, mindfulness meditation, Hatha yoga, and enough sleep have all been proven to reduce cortisol levels.

Reduce stress before ovulation and not only during your period if you want this strategy to be most effective for you.

5. Watch Your Diet

While certain meals may aggravate period cramps, others may provide pain relief. Avoid meals that are salty and heavy in carbs or fat. These meals may bloat and inflame the body, which might worsen period pains. Contrarily, foods rich in essential vitamins and minerals might lessen period discomfort.

To lessen muscular stress or inflammation, eat foods rich in magnesium, zinc, and the vitamins E, B1, and B6, as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Green leafy vegetables, nuts, and fatty seafood like tuna and salmon are good sources of these nutrients.

6. Stay Hydrated

The muscles in your uterus may cramp more if you are dehydrated. By flushing your digestive system with eight to ten glasses of water each day, you might perhaps ease some discomfort brought on by water retention.

Additionally, drinking warm or hot water relieves cramps.

7. Use Hormonal Birth Controls

Hormonal birth control methods, including oral contraceptives, patches, rings, and hormonal IUDs, might lessen pain by reducing blood flow and easing cramping.

That's because hormonal birth control thins your uterus' endometrial lining, preventing painful cramping. Additionally, it helps by reducing prostaglandin levels, which are the chemicals responsible for the painful contraction of your uterus muscles.

You must be routinely utilizing birth control before your cramps start for this to work.

8. Acupuncture and Acupressure

NSAIDs may not be as helpful in treating menstruation pain as acupuncture. The theory behind acupuncture is that you may relieve pain by releasing endorphins by focusing on certain body parts, or acupoints.

Period discomfort may also be reduced with acupressure, which stimulates acupoints without the use of needles.

9. Resting Works Wonders

A hormone that promotes relaxation, progesterone, is significantly reduced during your period. Hence, it's essential that you stay well rested during your period, despite the possibility that this could interfere with your ability to have a decent night's sleep.

Good sleep hygiene is a technique that may help you obtain the rest you need. To achieve this, you should aim to go to bed at the same time every night, abstain from coffee, and lower the light and noise levels in your bedroom.

Sleeping on your side with your arms and legs tucked in, or in the fetal position, may improve period discomfort by relieving strain on your abdominal muscles and reducing cramping.