Do you feel angry, irritated, and cranky for no reason when your period is around the corner? Does it happen month after month?
If so, your period hormones may be to blame.
Although it’s natural to have a bad mood once in a while, and there may also be a legitimate reason for your anger. However, if you’re cranky for several days each month, you’re experiencing PMS symptoms.
According to a study, women who suffer from PMS get more angry and have less control over anger as compared to those non-PMS women.
So, don’t blame yourself for that sudden outburst that happened earlier – blame your hormones instead.
Should You Be Concerned?
It’s not really something to stress about. Your anger will naturally subside after your period has ended and you’d get back to feeling normal in no time at all.
However, if you’ve struggled with an emotional problem such as depression before, then you might have more severe PMS symptoms.
Knowing what’s the root cause behind your feelings can help you manage your anger better, and that’s what we’re here to explain!
Why do You Feel Angry Before Your Periods?
If you’re feeling angry or irritated before your period, it’s usually because of hormonal fluctuations in your body. Women are affected by the fluctuation in estrogen and progesterone in the luteal phase (the phase that comes before your period) of their menstrual cycle.
These hormones regulate the female reproductive system and may affect your mental health, emotions, and much more.
When you have higher levels of these hormones before your period, you’ll naturally feel angrier and more irritable. In most cases, you’ll feel mild irritation which goes away once your hormone levels drop, and it shouldn’t be a concern for most women.
How to Deal with Period Anger?
Since anger has its roots in natural hormonal fluctuations, there’s nothing you can do to stop feeling cranky. But don’t lose hope just yet! You can manage your anger and irritation more effectively with simple lifestyle changes.
Here are some proven ways to deal with period anger:
1. Meditate
If you’re feeling angry, irritated, or on edge, try meditating. You can combine it with yoga, stretching, or other exercises, but the focus should be to clear your mind of everything around you. Meditation has proven mental and emotional benefits and can help you stay relaxed throughout the day.
Meditation is also an effective anger management tool and helps you constructively channel your energy. If you develop the habit of meditating daily during your period, you can always stick with it afterwards. Wouldn’t that be great?
2. Regulate Your Blood Pressure Through Diet
As with everything else, your diet plays an important role in your mood and feelings. Experts recommend consuming several smaller meals during the day instead of two large meals to help ease your blood sugar levels.
Avoid eating salty or sugary foods as they can affect your mood negatively. The best solution is to consume fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to keep your blood pressure (and mood) balanced.
3. Avoid Stimulants
Stimulants like drugs and nicotine may wreak havoc on your emotional state during your period. However, did you know that many “regular” products that you consume daily also fall under stimulants?
Caffeine, sugar, and some of the ingredients found in tea are also categorized as stimulants, although most people don’t view them as such.
So, does this mean you should remove coffee and tea from your diet?
No, it doesn’t.
Caffeine and tea can be helpful in alleviating your mood during normal days and are even recommended to help you relax.
However, these beverages may just not be as effective during your period and can even cause further irritation. Try to consume not more than just one cup of coffee or tea during the day.
4. Regular Exercise Always Helps
Feeling angry? Going for a run or hitting the gym may help you relax.
After all, you’ve got to take out your emotional stress somewhere, so why not use it to improve your fitness?
Exercise can help with anger management and many other PMS symptoms, including depression, mood swings, headaches, etc.
Since PMS anger will come every month, it’s best to use it to your benefit.
5. Consult an Expert
Sometimes, your anger may get out of control and negatively affect your social life.
In such cases, getting anger management therapy may help.
Professional therapists can help identify certain behaviors that may be responsible for your anger and give you helpful tips on anger management. They will also help you implement lifestyle changes to help you feel in control once more.
All in all, by implementing simple lifestyle changes like controlling your diet, exercising regularly, or meditating, you’ll be able to manage your period anger more effectively.
