As a population, we have a lot of unmanaged stress in our lives. Stress builds from all angles. With our work, finances, families, personal battles, and a never-ending barrage of information, we constantly feel behind in our lives. Fluctuating hormones during our menstrual cycle can affect our mood and our ability to get enough quality sleep. These changes can take our current unmanaged stress levels and send them spiraling. We can end up feeling panicked, overwhelmed, and frustrated with the world. Below we detail some ways we can help to combat stress, especially during our period. By intentionally creating some meditation practice, journaling, exercise, social time, and menstrual care changes like using a menstrual cup, we can get in the habit of nurturing ourselves and reducing our stress.
Meditation
Meditation practice has been shown to help reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality, and aid many other health problems. With many types to choose from, you can find a meditation style that works for you. Whether you attend a meditation circle, or pop in your earphones and listen to tracks on your phone from your bedroom, no matter how you practice meditation it can have amazing results on your mindset.
Journaling
Journaling is an old practice that has seen a popular resurgence recently. Writing out your thoughts in a list, stream of consciousness or journal style is very effective for slowing a racing mind. Often we can’t sleep because we have too many stressors on our minds. Either anxiety about things on our to-do list or reliving our feelings about things that have happened. Getting them out on paper in any style that feels right allows you to focus and not hold them in your thoughts constantly. It’s helpful to write morning pages, or a list of thoughts before sleeping, but any time of day the mood strikes is the right time. It might feel a little clunky at first. But after a few weeks, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.
Exercise
Some moderate exercise is an effective tool during your period that not only helps you stay in your healthy habits but can relieve symptoms of PMS. The movement can help with not only your physical discomforts like cramps and bloating but the anxiety and depression that can come with your period.
Reaching out
It’s not unusual to feel like staying under your blanket during your period. But when feeling unusually stressed or blue, being a little social can help. As well as distracting from your mood, connecting with people and having a fun can help you feel connected and nurtured. This helps the body to release more feel-good hormones.
Simplifying your menstrual care with a menstrual cup
One of the best ways to reduce stress in your life is to simplify things as much as possible. Reducing the number of tasks in your life you need to remember helps to stop your mental to-do list from becoming out of control. Your period itself can create a list of to-dos. Buying menstrual care, scheduling a change of pads and tampons, and even doing laundry for stained on sheets and clothes. By switching to a menstrual cup, you can intentionally reduce the list of things to do for your period.
At Capd Period, we aim to improve lives by improving the experience of your period. We design with busy lifestyles in mind. CapdCup is the first menstrual cup you can empty during the day without removing it, taking even more things off your to-do list. When we start with smaller stressors, we can clear our minds to deal with the unavoidable ones.
However you address stress during your period, the vital part is doing something to nurture yourself. Allow guilt free time and space to give yourself a break.
