Woman's Life | Blog | Period types
The four typical period types: Which group do you belong to?
As soon as it's over, it's back again: menstruation. On average, the female cycle reaches the menstruation phase every 28 days. Perhaps your symptoms never really go away, but just get worse when your period starts. How you experience your period depends on your hormonal balance and external influences. Since the female body is particularly sensitive to stress, unbalanced nutrition and lack of exercise, the cycle phase can react with increased symptoms. With a few tips, you can alleviate hormone chaos and your symptoms.
Content overview:
- Menstrual types and how to alleviate your discomfort
- Emotional type: a rollercoaster of emotions
- Pimple type: lost that radiant complexion
- Hungry type: craving sweets and hearty dishes
- Type of pain: From PMS to endometriosis
Menstrual types and how to alleviate your discomfort
There are four typical types of period symptoms: emotional type, pimple type, craving type and pain type. Each type can be clearly distinguished from the others. But as different as each woman is, the menstrual phases can also be different. For example, if your hormone balance changes, the symptoms can improve or you can switch from one type to another.
Emotional type: a rollercoaster of emotions
Mood swings can be common at the beginning of the menstruation phase. But emotions can be particularly pronounced after ovulation too. Ranging from anger to anxiety and stress. The emotional rule type is more changeable than any other. You may also experience tiredness, depression, sensitivity and irritability towards others. If your symptoms are emotional, you may also struggle with headaches and sleep disturbances. You'll usually find you prefer to spend as much time as possible in the comfort of your bed. It can be hard to find the motivation for exercise, activities and even socialising. Bloating and abdominal pain can also play a part in your discomfort.
Circumstances that wouldn't usually upset you may make you feel particularly emotional before or during menstruation. As an emotional rule type, it's important to pay extra attention to your well-being.
Take care of your well-being:
A little rest and relaxation are important. When time allows, a nap or walk can increase your energy levels and improve low moods. Yoga and sport are ideal for relieving stress. You can also add spices such as turmeric to your meals. The ginger plant is considered a healing plant in India. It promotes concentration, lifts mood and has a positive effect on digestive disorders (see Rossbach, 2019, pp. 59–60).
Turmeric is available as powder and root. The spice is popular in Asian cuisine. It gives food a yellow colour and is slightly sharp in flavour. Turmeric can be used in smoothies, hot dishes and drank in tea.
Pimple type: lost that radiant complexion
Imperfections on the face, chest and back are not uncommon before menstruation. This is due to falling oestrogen levels, while the male hormone testosterone remains constant. As a result, sebum production is reduced and your pores become clogged. Pimples and blackheads appear more than usual. During menstruation, your skin may appear dull and dry. It lacks moisture due to low sebum production. After the fifth day of your period, you will begin to benefit from returning oestrogen levels and clearer skin.
Coffee and alcohol also promote impurities in the skin. In contrast, water, unsweetened tea and herbal teas such as fennel, dandelion and stinging nettle are particularly good for your skin.
For a radiant complexion:
Before and during menstruation, your skin needs more attention. With morning and night cleansing, you can maintain clearer and more hydrated skin. With a Beurer facial brush, you can benefit from deeper cleansing. A cleansing brush can help to refine your complexion and leave your skin looking radiant.
Indulge your skin with generous amounts of moisturising cream rich in ingredients like hyaluronic acid. Adjusting your diet can also combat skin impurities. Avoid animal products and incorporate more wholegrain foods, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds as well as fruit and vegetables.
Hungry type: craving sweets and hearty dishes
Do you crave more sweets and hearty treats a few days before menstruation? This is due to hormone fluctuations, including the increase in the stress hormone cortisol and the decrease in the happiness hormone serotonin. If you suffer from cravings, you may struggle with weight gain too. Bloating can also be a challenge.
Treat yourself to healthy foods:
When your symptom is cravings, the temptation can be too much to avoid. But you can prepare for this phase of menstruation. Treat yourself to healthy food. Nuts, fruit and vegetables provide you with plenty of vitamins and make a great snack. You can easily replace hearty ingredients with lentils. If you still feel a little hungry, you can also treat yourself to a few pieces of chocolate. In addition to the protective antioxidants, chocolate also contains sugar, which gives you extra energy.
Type of pain: From PMS to endometriosis
Pain is usually at its strongest during menstruation. But even after ovulation, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) can rob you of energy. Tightening in the abdomen, cramps and chest tension as well as back pain and headaches are typical symptoms. If bleeding occurs, cramps can increase in intensity and cause bloating.
According to a 2020 survey conducted during Strawberry Week, abdominal pain was reported as the most common discomfort, along with mood swings and skin complaints. (Erdbeerwoche, 2020)
Make small changes and improve your well-being:
Animal products should be avoided even before your period. These contain arachidonic acid, which promotes the production of prostaglandin and inflammation in the body. These higher levels of prostaglandin will then increase the intensity of pain. Fresh food, fruit and vegetables and healthy fats help to alleviate PMS symptoms and even work effectively as natural painkillers.
In addition to balanced nutrition and regular exercise, the menstrual relax pads Beurer EM 50 Menstrual Relax and Beurer EM 55 Menstrual Relax + offer a combination of cosy heat and pain-relieving TENS. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation suppresses the transmission of pain signals to the nerve fibres. While the soothing heat relaxes muscles. You can even use both therapies separately to suit your needs.
This almost invisible helper adapts perfectly to your body shape. This means you can wear the TENS pad discreetly under clothing, even when you're out and about. With 15 levels, you can adjust the TENS intensity until you find the relief you need.
Sources:
- Rossbach G. 2019 Glücksorgan Gehirn. Selbstbestimmung beginnt im Kopf. „Gehirndoping-Food" und gut geölte graue Zellen!. Springer-Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg.
- erbeerwoche GmbH (ed.) (2020). Erdberry Week Menstrual Survey 2020. https://erdbeerwoche.com/erdbeerwoche-menstruations-umfrage/(13.12.2022).
