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Reaching puberty is a big deal for all people because it sets off a chain of changes that can’t be turned back. For women, it also means menstruation, which can last anywhere from three to five days and cause physical pain, low energy, and mood swings.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Women don’t have all of these symptoms all the time, but 80% of women say they have at least one PMS sign before or during their periods.
Both the start of a woman’s period and the period itself can be hard for both the woman and the guys in her life. During this time, women don’t always know what’s going on in their own thoughts and hearts.
What goes on during a woman’s period?
Let’s learn more about what happens in a woman’s body when she has her period. The normal age a girl gets her first period is between 12 and 15 years old. However, this age is getting younger because of things like diet and lifestyle.
The menstrual cycle lasts 4–6 weeks, but the normal length is thought to be 28 days. It is a well-choreographed dance between oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, or “the three musketeers.”
Not only do these three things control our monthly cycles, but they also affect our bodies, minds, thoughts, and actions, such as how we feel about ourselves and what we buy.
Hungers and Thirsts
Ever wonder why you want chocolate, foods with a lot of carbs, and foods high in fat a few days before your period? Many of us also get these tastes when we’re about to get our period.
During the first part of the cycle, before ovulation, high amounts of oestrogen make it easy to stick to a diet because they make you less hungry. After ovulation, your progesterone levels are high. This makes you want to eat foods that are high in fats and calories.
High amounts of oestrogen also make you want to eat more. Just a few days before your period, your oestrogen levels drop, bringing down your serotonin levels with them. Serotonin is a neurochemical that helps keep your mood stable. Since eating carbs helps the brain get more serotonin, many women cheat on their diets when they are about to get their periods.
Changes to Shopping
Serotonin levels help keep our feelings in check and also help us sleep well. The three musketeers also affect what we buy and how much we spend.
One study that looked at how women spent their money over 35 days found that during the first phase of their menstrual cycle, women spent more money on clothes and wanted to buy things that made them feel and look beautiful. During the second phase, women spent more money on food.
How pain makes us feel
This is called dysmenorrhea. Some women have a lot of pain and soreness during their periods. A high rate of dysmenorrhea has been linked to stress. In a study of Chinese women, it was found that having a lot of stress before ovulation can make the chance of dysmenorrhea twice as high.
Pain from menstrual cramps has been shown to make women less productive and less able to pay attention to chores. Period pain that lasts for a long time can have some long-term effects on the health of the brain.
Women can get over this drop in performance by using natural ways to deal with pain, like yoga, breathing routines, and Ayurveda. Dysmenorrhea can be less of a problem for women if they can control their stress with yoga.
The Brain and Oestrogen
Low amounts of oestrogen make women’s minds feel foggy during PMS and their periods. Studies show that high amounts of oestrogen make the synapses in the hippocampus connect to each other 25% better.
In another study, high oestrogen levels were tied to less impulsive behaviour, so the two are related. Several studies have shown that having a high amount of oestrogen is good for your brain. PMS symptoms are also linked to having too little oestrogen in the body.
High amounts of oestrogen right after a woman’s period and before she ovulates make her more active, social, and happy. Now is a great time to try new things, take on new tasks, and move out of your comfort zone.
The way these natural cycles of chemicals in a woman’s body affect each person is different. Changes in hormones can be less of a problem if a person takes care of her health by exercising, meditating, and eating right.
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