Home Remedies for Period Pain

By: Elizabeth Casciaro

Even on their own, periods can be tough! But add cramps into the mix and you can feel even worse. To help get you through the week of your period, here are some tried and true tips that are proven to help reduce pain.

Exercise

Okay, so you might be rolling your eyes at this one. But exercise truly does help a lot, even just light exercise! For me personally, as a teen even just walking to school in the morning helped me to relieve cramps for a few hours. Exercise helps with period pain because it causes your brain to release endorphins, which are a group of chemicals that promote your physical well-being.

Drink Chamomile Tea

Your mom might already be recommending that you drink tea when cramps are bothering you, and even though this might sound like an old wives’ tale it’s actually correct! Chamomile tea helps with period pain because it contains natural anti-inflammatories that prohibit muscle contractions in your uterus, working in the same way taking medication like ibuprofen would.

Heat

I find that heat personally works the best for me when I have period pain. You can relax and take a warm bath or fill up a hot water bottle and place it on your lower abdomen. Heat has actually been proven to work just as well as medication. Heat helps to relieve cramps because it causes muscles to relax, and if you didn’t know, the uterus is actually a muscle!

Diet Changes

Changing your diet, even just for the week of your period can also help to take away pain. If you’re anything like me and have an iced coffee addiction, you might need to temporarily quit it for a week along with unnecessary salt as they can both cause dehydration, which contributes to muscle cramps. It’s also important to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein.

If you have intense period pain that still persists after trying out home remedies, it would be helpful to visit a doctor to help find a medical solution that works for you! There’s nothing to be embarrassed about and you’re not alone as they help women with period related issues every day. 

If you have any more questions, make sure to chat to us here on our website or through our contact form or on Instagram.

About the Author:

Elizabeth is a 4th year English student at Western University. She's excited to be working with Apricotton because she believes everyone deserves a comfortable bra shopping experience!