It's the week before your period ... You feel bloated but also can't poop ... You woke up to a few new acne breakouts ... People are pissing you off more than normal ... All you wanna do is lay in bed, cry and eat chocolate ... Your boobs are annoyingly tender and sore ... You're craving all the salty and sugary foods ... You can't stop thinking about the afternoon nap ...

You wonder " What the heck is wrong with me?!" ....

Well, nothing is wrong with you. You're just struggling with a hormonal imbalance connected to a classic PMS.

Premenstrual syndrome, commonly known as PMS, refers to a group of physical and emotional symptoms which start one to two weeks before your period.

Over 90% of women experience these symptoms, which may basically happen between ovulation and the start of your periods. The experienced mood swings and change in behaviour illustrates the many hormones that have been released by the body at this particular period. The periodic change in hormonal levels during this sect of the menstrual cycle, is the main cause.

Aside from those mentioned earlier, other symptoms which can be experienced include the following;

🍒Emotional symptoms:

. Irritability

. Troubled concentration

. Reduced memory capacity

. Anxiety

. Sleeping too much

. Social Withdrawal

. Crying alot and being emotional

🍒Physical symptoms:

. Endless headaches

. Back and joint pains

. Fatigue

. Food cravings

. Diarrhoea

. Changes in skin

. Constipation

📌In the cycle changes, the constant fluctuations and surges of hormones estrogen and progesterone may lead to Irritability and other changes in moods.

Estrogen and progesterone work together actively in the luteal phase(after egg release), to cause the lining of the uterus to thicken more as it prepares for possible fertilisation. These hormones also prepare the breasts for possible fertilisation.

📌In the chemical change of the brain, the rise and drop of estrogen hormone may lead to a reduced production of dopamine, which eventually triggers change in mood and emotions.

📌In the lifestyle changes, we have some factors which may worsen the PMS symptoms and make it intense hence leading to severe pain and uncomfortable process. These include alcohol and smoking, inadequate sleep, lack of exercise/physical activity, and high intake of foods with high artificial sugars, fat and salt.

It is important to note that PMS symptoms can either be reduced or increased depending on how we manage our bodies during this time.

Some light exercise, sun basking, fun activities, good diet, seed cycling and enough sleep may boost our energies and help this process to be smooth. More management techniques for the full menstrual cycle will be covered in another article.

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