Why does my period make me so 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 you should not ignore tiredness during your period?
- Stress. Believe it or not, being under stress (especially when its chronic) can throw a wrench in your menstrual activity.
- Extreme fluctuations in weight and physical activity. ...
- Polycystic ovary syndrome, aka PCOS. ...
- Hormonal birth control. ...
- Perimenopause. ...
Can your period make you tired?
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! Iron Deficiency Anaemia
Why do I get my period every 25 days?
- stress
- pregnancy
- sudden weight loss.
- being overweight.
- doing too much exercise.
- taking the contraceptive pill.
- the menopause.
- polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
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).
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.
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 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 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.
How to get tired when you're tired?
There are natural ways of helping your body out when its feeling tired though; drinking water, getting at least eight hours sleep and exercising is all useful, general advice. But according to Nicole Telfer, Science Content Producer at period tracking app Clue, there are different ways to overcome your tiredness depending on what's causing it.
What happens when your uterus isn't invaded by a fertilised egg?
Then, when your uterine lining isn’t invaded by a fertilised egg, the hormones sustaining the environment aren’t needed anymore and the hormone levels plummet. When this happens, your body goes from high alert to nothing hormonally and that shift causes other changes, which are exhausting.
How long after ovulation do you feel less tired?
There’s not much you can do about your body’s natural cycle, but the good news is that your energy levels tend to peak during ovulation, which is generally about two weeks after the start of your period.
What foods can help with energy during menstruation?
Instead of reaching for a slab of Dairy Milk, a few foods likely to boost your energy levels while menstruating include oats (for slow release energy), red meat, ...
Can menstrual cycle cause depression?
As well as feeling irritable and depressed, people who menstruate can also become very drained and weary, he adds (lucky us!). "It is thought that PMS could be triggered by a drop in oestrogen and serotonin, resulting in a double whammy for mood swings and energy levels."
Can light therapy help with premenstrual mood disorder?
If you have a premenstrual mood disorder, the expert suggests you're "more likely to experience sleep disturbances like insomnia, hypersomnia, fatigue, and even disturbing dreams during the luteal phase (the second part of the menstrual cycle) which could be due to disruption in circadian rhythms." In order to overcome this, Nicole explains that some researchers suggest using light therapy may help people with severe cases, but more research in the area is needed.
Can PCOs cause snoring?
People with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) are more likely have sleep disordered breathing like sleep apnea or snoring if they are obese, which in turn impacts sleep quality. "These people would benefit from seeing a healthcare provider specialising in sleep," advises the expert.
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.
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.
What is the effect of fatigue on your life?
Fatigue—feeling overtired or having abnormally low energy—can interrupt your work, personal life, relationships, and well being.
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.
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.
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.
How to tell if you have iron deficiency?
A diagnosis can be given after carrying out a full blood test to determine whether the number of red blood cells is within the normal range. If diagnosed with anaemia, your doctor will normally advise you to take iron supplements ...
What to do if you have anemia?
If diagnosed with anaemia, your doctor will normally advise you to take iron supplements and improve your diet to increase the amount of iron-rich foods you eat; to compensate for the loss of nutrients during heavy periods.
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 before a period does PMDD occur?
PMDD usually occurs about 7 to 10 days before a period and has many of the same symptoms as PMS. In addition to symptoms like fatigue, bloating, digestive issues, and headaches, people with PMDD have emotional symptoms, such as: crying spells. anger. sadness.
What are the symptoms of PMS?
You may experience some degree of discomfort shortly before your period each month. Moodiness, bloating, and headaches are common premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, and so is fatigue.
What is the best medication for PMDD?
Birth control pills. Continuous birth control pills that completely stop you from bleeding can reduce or eliminate PMDD symptoms.
What to do if you think you have PMDD?
If you think you may have PMDD or another condition, make an appointment with your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment options. PMDD is treatable and, with the right type of care, you may be able to put pre-period fatigue behind you.
Is it normal to feel tired before your period?
Is it normal to feel tired before a period? Yes . In fact, fatigue is one of the most common PMS symptoms. So although it can be inconvenient and annoying to feel zapped of energy shortly before your period, it’s completely normal. In most cases, feeling tired before your period is nothing to be worried about.
How do hormones affect energy levels?
Hormones are natural chemical messengers inside the body that tell your cells what to do, how to function and what kinds of things to prioritise.
What hormones are at their lowest in the first few days of your period?
A few key hormones worth noting are: Oestrogen: which contributes towards our ‘get up and go’ drive, and is beneficial for our energy levels in the right amounts. Oestrogen is at its lowest in the few days before your period begins (hence why you may feel sleepier during this time), but begins to rise shortly after.
What hormone keeps you awake?
Cortisol: As well as being a stress hormone, cortisol is also our primary daytime hormone, keeping us awake and energised during the day. Low cortisol can result in a deep, relentless fatigue that feels as though no amount of sleep will fix, a weaker immune system and a tendency towards low blood sugar levels.
Why do people test their hormones?
When we analysed the data collected from Eve hormone tests, we found something that surprised us: the number 1 reason why people are testing their hormones is ENERGY.
Why are B vits important?
As mentioned above, B vits are essential for great energy. They work as catalysts in the body, converting the food you eat into energy.
How long does it take for your period to feel more energetic?
After your period begins and oestrogen starts to increase again, your energy levels should also be on the up, and you can expect to feel a little more lively around days 2-3.
What are the nutrients that are needed for energy?
Nutrient deficiencies: of particular importance for energy levels are iron (many menstruating women could benefit from an iron supplement), B vitamins, omega–3 fatty acids, and vitamin D.
1 – Estrogen Fluctuations
2 – Iron Deficiency and Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
- If you already suffer from low iron levels or anemia, losing any amount of blood during your period can result in extreme tiredness. If you have not been diagnosed with anemia but still experience heavy menstrual bleeding, you probably feel sluggish during your period. If this sounds like you, I recommend getting your iron levels tested. Heavy menstrual bleeding can result from many thin…
3 – Stress
- Stress can cause tiredness, not only during your period but also at all other times. If you experience chronic low levels of stress or acute stressful situations, odds are you feel sluggish. Right before your period, serotonin levels drop, making you a little more irritable and less likely to let things slide off your back. This time makes you especially susceptible to stress and emotion…
4 – Unhealthy Eating Habits during/before Cycle
- Unhealthy eating habits can throw blood sugar levels out of whack, increase inflammation, and cause stress in the body and mind. I know it can be lovely to have comfort foods before and during your cycle, but consuming foods high in white sugars, flour, and chemicals can be detrimental to hormone balance and energy levels. As I mentioned, poor detoxification is one of …
5- Poor Sleep
- This may seem like an obvious reason for being tired during your period, but it still needs to be mentioned. Before and during your period, you’re more likely to experience insomnia and sleep disturbances. To combat poor sleep during your period so that you can wake up refreshed, try these tips: 1. Drink calming/sleepy time teas like lavender, pass...