I've been talking to more women lately who are telling me that they are getting very moody in the days leading up to their period. They want to hide away until its over because otherwise they may push people away with their unreasonable reactions. Combine this with lots of training and us female athletes may be less than all sunshine, rainbows and star sprinkles for a few days each month. This can be miserable for us and for anyone within our reach.
So, what can we do? Here are some ideas:
- Start each day by jotting down 10 things you're grateful for from the previous day. This helps to start the day on a positive note and helps build the habit of bringing awareness to the appreciation of ourselves and our lives on a regular basis.
- Be active and exercise! Keep up with your regular routine so that you feel on top of your workouts while having the added benefits of the stress reducing effects of moving your body. If you're not doing so already you may also want to add yoga.
- Get out in the sun, even if only for 15 minutes, if possible. Vitamin D is a natural mood enhancer.
- Focus on eating omega 3 rich foods, and foods containing lots of calcium, magnesium and, B vitamins.
- Supplements that may help are: evening primrose oil, valerian root, cod liver oil, and vitamin B complex.
Lastly, give the people in your life (especially the ones you want to keep around) a heads up that you're not in the best mood ever. This helps cut down on the anxiety you may feel about people noticing your moodiness. It is also nice for them to know that it isn't personal and that you're taking steps to deal with it.
Interesting side note: some of my strongest training days and best races happen when I'm pms'ing. So maybe there's a bright side?
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