How can I calm myself down when I'm feeling upset and emotional?
The best way to calm yourself down if you’re feeling upset and emotional before or during your period is to give yourself some time and space to relax. You can do this by focusing on your breathing. Breathing in and out very slowly, counting six seconds as you breathe in and six seconds as you breathe out again, is guaranteed to relax you physiologically and this will give you a vital few moments to calm yourself emotionally. If you’re concerned you may be about to snap at someone or become upset with them you can simply take time out by saying, “I need to take a moment for myself before I continue with our chat.”
If you’re just feeling very low and you’re on your own remind yourself that it’s OK to feel low sometimes and that it will pass soon. Give yourself permission to feel upset or emotional. You could even do this in the mirror by looking at yourself and saying, “I’m sorry you’re feeling blue. It’s OK though because this will pass soon.” Using this private self-soothing method can be very effective and can help you in a variety of situations when you’re feeling low.
I feel tired during my period - is there anything I can do to stop this from happening?
Some women feel physically drained and more tired than usual during their periods and this is perfectly normal. Psychologically it’s important to learn to listen to your body. It’s OK to feel a little more tired than usual and allow yourself time to rest. Don’t fight it and push yourself beyond your limits as this is when we tend to suffer the emotional after effects and end up distressed. Sometimes giving in to the tiredness and allowing ourselves to rest is all we need to pick ourselves up again and renew our energies.
My mood changes during my period - what can I do to avoid feeling blue?
Feeling blue around the time of your period is normal. If it’s severe and affects your daily functioning too much you should talk to your doctor because it’s possible that you may be suffering greater fluctuations in hormones than you need to. However, the vast majority of women will relate to generally feeling a little lack-lustre or down in the dumps around this time. Why not plan ahead and organise some gentle but enjoyable activities. Having some fun should help lift your mood. Remember though, it’s OK to feel a little down sometimes and it’s not necessarily the sign of a problem. Sometimes worrying about being down is the biggest problem.
Tagged in Women's Health