Period FAQs

do periods make you tired

by Thalia Ledner Published 1 year ago Updated 1 year ago
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Heavy menstrual bleeding often causes women to feel tired, commonly known as period fatigue. This is normal due to the decrease in oestrogen levels, which occurs around this point in your menstrual cycle. Your energy levels will usually return to normal within a few days as your hormone levels begin to increase again.Jul 9, 2019

When does your period make you the most tired?

What causes period fatigue?

  • Hormonal changes. During menstruation, your body experiences changes in hormone levels that can leave you feeling tired, Mandal says.
  • Blood and associative iron loss. Additionally, the blood loss during your period can contribute to fatigue due to a loss of iron. ...
  • Dehydration and stress. ...

Why do I Feel So Tired during my period?

What causes period fatigue and how to treat it

  • Symptoms. Period fatigue is a symptom of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). ...
  • Causes. A female’s ovaries produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone. ...
  • Treatment. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, can help alleviate pain and inflammation.
  • Home care. ...
  • Prevention. ...
  • When to see a doctor. ...
  • Summary. ...

Do periods make you hungry a lot?

When your period does finally come, your body has used up a lot of its fuel, so it’s no wonder why you’re so hungry. There are two main phases of a period: the follicular phase and the luteal phase. The levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone go up and down during the different phases of your period, which affects your hunger levels.

Does being on your period make you more tired?

Your body can feel tired and lethargic if your tissues can’t recover and get the oxygen that it needs to function. This can lead to extreme fatigue right before period, during and after your period. Treatment can be as simple as incorporating more meat into your diet, or if you’re a vegetarian, then iron supplements or extra leafy greens!

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How to help with period fatigue?

It is a symptom of PMS. Some people may be able to alleviate period fatigue and other PMS symptoms using home remedies, such as exercise, relaxation, and alternative therapies. Others may require medical treatment. Anyone who is concerned about period fatigue should see a doctor.

What are the symptoms of a period?

Symptoms can include weakness and fatigue. Food cravings: During a period, a person may experience food cravings. Eating too much food could lead to a spike and subsequent dip in blood glucose levels. This dip could leave a person feeling tired and fatigued.

What is PMS fatigue?

According to the Office on Women’s Health, as many as 5% of females of childbearing age experience a more severe form of PMS known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

Why is it so hard to sleep during the night?

Disturbed sleep: Period pains and mood changes may make it difficult for a person to get to sleep or stay asleep throughout the night. The person may then experience tiredness and fatigue the following day.

What happens if you have low iron during your period?

Low iron: Heavy bleeding during a period could lead to iron deficiency anemia. Without sufficient iron, the body is unable to produce the hemoglobin that red blood cells require to transport oxygen to the body’s cells. Symptoms can include weakness and fatigue.

How to prevent fatigue from dehydration?

Staying hydrated: Dehydration can worsen fatigue. Drinking fluids at regular intervals will help prevent dehydration.

How to improve sleep quality during period?

A person’s baseline body temperature increases by about 0.5°C before their period, which may contribute to poor or interrupted sleep. Lowering the room temperature slightly may help improve comfort and sleep quality, resulting in less fatigue the following day.

What Causes Fatigue During Period?

Like many bodily operations, menstrual fatigue can partly be attributed to hormonal fluctuations.

What to do when you are tired during your period?

If your period fatigue feels unmanageable, or is greatly interfering with your daily period life, ask your doctor. Keep track of other symptoms you’re experiencing like cramps, nausea, and bloating. It’s also helpful to track when around your period you tend to feel the most tired.

What are the minerals that help with menstrual fatigue?

Your body depends on essential minerals, like iron and magnesium, to stay healthy and vital. When these are low, like in the case of anemia, period symptoms can be worsened. Ask your provider about getting these tested. If they are low, taking supplements, and eating mineral rich foods, can help combat menstrual fatigue.

How to stop feeling overwhelmed during menstruation?

Some level of menstrual fatigue may be inevitable, so if you have the ability to schedule your days to accommodate this, it can keep you from feeling so overwhelmed. Try tracking your cycle, so that you know when you tend to be the most fatigued.

What is the best treatment for period fatigue?

Chinese medicine practitioners use acupuncture, herbalism, and other methods to help regulate period symptoms. Functional medicine doctors and providers combine allopathic medicine with more natural remedies ...

How to get rid of fatigue when you are tired?

Try tracking your cycle, so that you know when you tend to be the most fatigued. Avoid scheduling meetings, due dates, and social gatherings around these times. Be easy on yourself, if you can’t totally relax, it’s ok to do the bare minimum, before retiring for the day.

Does estrogen outweigh progesterone?

In the case of estrogen dominance, estrogen levels in the body outweigh progesterone. Progesterone is necessary for regulating your period, and keeping symptoms of high estrogen in check. When this delicate hormonal balance is off, you may feel extra fatigued.

How to get rid of tiredness during period?

Some ways to combat the feeling of tiredness during your period include drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration, eating healthy, getting at least 8 hours of sleep, and doing some physical activity or exercise – as it is the best fighter of fatigue.

When Is a Period Heavy?

Though the degree of menstrual bleeding differs from woman to woman, a period can be considered ‘heavy” when the following symptoms occur:

How to tell if you have thyroid problems?

Your GP can determine if you have a thyroid problem by carrying out a thyroid function test, taking a blood sample to measure hormone levels. If diagnosed, hormone replacement tablets are prescribed and should be taken daily, with blood tests being carried out regularly to monitor hormone levels.

What is it called when you have a heavy period?

Many women suffer from menorrhagia, which is more commonly known as heavy periods. Around 1 in 3 women will seek treatment for the issue.

How long does it take for energy levels to return to normal?

Your energy levels will usually return to normal within a few days as your hormone levels begin to increase again. However, for some women, fatigue may last longer and be more extreme. Some women may find themselves completely sluggish and unable to properly carry out routine activities, signifying something more severe.

What happens when you drop up and down?

When these drop up and down, the energy that was ready for creating a baby, goes from high energy, to no energy, and this shift in gear can creates other changes, which will be exhausting for your body.

Can you take iron supplements before your period?

This can lead to extreme fatigue right before period, during and after your period. Treatment can be as simple as incorporating more meat into your diet, or if you’re a vegetarian, then iron supplements or extra leafy greens! Of course, in more serious cases, please make sure you consult a doctor to eliminate any concerns.

Can you feel tired after your period?

Short answer is Yes, it can! You're not just imagining it. You are not alone with the thought "period makes me tired and weak", it is something every woman goes through. Below are a few explanations on why we can feel tired and weak before, during, and after your period, and how to combat these so you feel refreshed again!

Can your period make you tired?

Can your period make you tired? Absolutely, so have a rest!

Is it okay to not exercise during your period?

Not Exercising Enough. It’s very easy to stop your exercising routine when you have the excuse of being on your period. We know we’ve used it in school to be excused from gym class once in a while! But by actually avoiding exercise, and being up and about, you will definitely feel more lazy and lethargic.

Does sugar affect energy?

The fluctuating hormones will affect your energy levels, and sometimes we’ll end up craving and reaching for those not so healthy foods. Snacking on sugary, salty foods (who doesn’t want to treat yo-self with pizza, ice-cream and chocolate?) will give you an instant energy boost, as your blood glucose spikes, but after a short while, it will crash and burn, and you’ll end up feeling fatigued and tired again.

What happens when you have your period?

In the weeks leading up to your period, your body prepares for a potential pregnancy with spikes in your estrogen levels. These hormones work in overdrive to create the perfect environment for a fertilized egg. Once your period arrives, your body realizes that you no longer need those high estrogen levels to sustain a pregnancy, causing them to drop off.

Why is it so hard to fall asleep during my period?

Stress: As we mentioned before, periods cause extra stress. This can make it hard to fall or stay asleep—despite making you feel so tired.

What can I do to relieve menstrual fatigue?

When it comes to abnormal period symptoms, the key is to find and treat the underlying cause. That is why it is important to find a doctor who is willing to take the time to really talk with you and understand your symptoms.

How long does it take for fatigue to start before your period?

While you might think that 7-days of menstrual fatigue sounds manageable, this tiredness can actually begin several days before your period does. For many women, PMS or PMDD causes fatigue and other negative symptoms in the days or weeks leading up to their period.

What hormones cause fatigue?

Estrogen dominance—fatigue from high levels of estrogen. While estrogen can give you energy, abnormally high levels of estrogen creates a hormonal imbalance. Your body’s estrogen will begin overpowering your body’s progesterone levels. Progesterone is responsible for regulating your period.

What hormones are responsible for regulating your period?

Progesterone is responsible for regulating your period. It also plays a key role in offsetting the negative side effects that estrogen can create. One of these—as you may have guessed—is fatigue. When your estrogen levels are much higher than your progesterone levels, this condition is called estrogen dominance.

What happens when you are in menopause?

As your body prepares for menopause, you will begin to notice differences in your period, body, and overall well being. This may include fatigue. Harvard Health Publishing reports that 40% of perimenopausal women have difficulty sleeping. Fatigue and other pre-menopausal challenges can seem overwhelming and inevitable.

How to get rid of tiredness during period?

Keep An Eye On Your Diet. Along with water, it seems that you need to watch your diet during the more fatiguing parts of your period, to try and counteract the exhaustion. Good sources of iron are particularly useful, to counteract any tiredness-triggering iron loss; get yourself some red meat, spinach or sardines.

What to eat during your period to get rid of fatigue?

Good sources of iron are particularly useful, to counteract any tiredness-triggering iron loss; get yourself some red meat, spinach or sardines. You may also want to stay away from carbohydrates and load up on healthy fats and vitamins, to help you process nutrients and give you maximum energy.

What happens to estrogen before the period?

when the womb sheds its lining, creating a period), levels of estrogen and progesterone lower, which means that energy may be at a low ebb.

What does it mean when you have a heavy period?

The technical term for a heavy period is menorrhagia, and it can show up in several ways: going through many menstrual products in a short time, bleeding for longer than a week, or having blood clots appear in your flow beyond a 24-hour period.

What is the meaning of "menstrual cycle"?

Menstrual cycles involve a complex interplay of hormones and bodily processes, plus various underlying conditions that may be causing variation, so you can't draw any conclusions just because your friend Lizzie's cousin's boss got tired during her period, and shortly thereafter her womb exploded. (Or something to that effect.)

Is everyone's period different?

The main lesson to take away from this article is that everybody's period is different. Menstrual cycles involve a complex interplay of hormones and bodily processes, plus various underlying conditions that may be causing variation, so you can't draw any conclusions just because your friend Lizzie's cousin's boss got tired during her period, and shortly thereafter her womb exploded. (Or something to that effect.) Exhaustion during menstruation is annoying, but it can be dealt with, and medical professionals won't find it puzzling or shocking.

Can you nap during your period?

And yes, you can have that nap. 1. Don't Panic. It seems as if hormonal levels may be at least partially to blame for increased fatigue at the start of your period, because of the impact that estrogen and progesterone have on your body's energy levels.

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