Hygge Your Way Through That Time Of The Month

So, this one is primarily for the ladies but gents, you can certainly get a few pointers here to help the women in your life.

When that time of the month falls upon us like a piano, hygge can be one of the only things that can make us feel better. A heavy flow and lower abdominal cramps can really put a dampener on your day…said no one ever! because it’s much worse than that! It can totally ruin a week of your life. Your eating habits change and so does your sleeping pattern. Getting up on time for work is a nightmare with all the extra prep involved and you just want to crawl into a pile of duvets resembling a giant dog bed.

I’m afraid I don’t have a magical way to switch all of your responsibilities off so that you can hibernate (I would imagine if you give them six months they will come up with an app for that) but I do have a list of ways you can incorporate hygge into your period week to help the time go by a little easier.

Track your cycle so that you know when your period will be due. A few days before you are due pop to the shops and get supplies. You may not want to leave the house and why should you have to? Only this week!

Prepare hearty meals with ingredients that don’t provoke period pain. (Yes, diet makes a big difference!) Fill yourself up with nutrients so you are less likely to binge on junk food which will cause more period pain. Try not to drink alcohol either.

Get a nice hot water bottle to snuggle with. Not only will it keep you warm and cosy but it will help with the cramping.

Herbal teas are a great way to slip into your hygge zone and they also help with cramping.

Using certain aromatic essential oils and massaging yourself or getting a partner to do it can also relieve menstrual cramp pain. Be sure to dilute the oils first.

Have a nice, hot bath. The water has the same effect as the heating pad but your back is also soothed at the same time. Your whole body feels the warmth and you feel nice and clean, ready to slip on your pyjamas and your husbands jumper and you are ready to go.

Something I have personally found very interesting is this, one of my own ideas. I wondered if I created a mixture of scents throughout my home, would my brain be so occupied trying to identify them all that it would release on the pain and surely enough it did. Whenever it’s that time of the month I pull out all the oil burners I own and scented candles. Some I don’t even light. If I can get enough cosy scents going at once, my brain literally forgets to be in pain.

Comfort food is a big one for a lot of ladies, really do watch out though because what you put into your mouth directly affects your body and the pain.

This one is for the Mother’s really, every time you have your period, be sure to flick through your child’s ‘first year’ album. Remind yourself exactly what you can do with this powerful gift of life. Reminding yourself of times when you have been grateful for a healthy period and just what that means can really lift your spirits.

Watch movies and listen to music that match your energy levels. Our hormones make us very sensitive during our period and our mood can dip very easily. Something that affects this is our energy levels. Try not to push yourself, you feel low and tired because you are low and tired. Just because society says you are perfectly capable of going to work doesn’t mean your body agrees. This isn’t to say you are useless when you are on your period but everyone is capable of what they are capable of. Entertain yourself with movies, music or a book that matches your current vibe. Indulge in it, the more you allow yourself to just be the more natural you will feel and your mood will lift. Watching John Travolta wiggle and Olivia Newton John skipping around in the movie Grease when you have a migraine is never a good idea.

Orgasms are a good way to alleviate period pain. Hygge style sex can be extremely pleasurable and helps to take your mind off the problem at hand anyway even if you don’t achieve your climax. If you intend to get the job done yourself, make sure you take the time and effort to create the hygge environment first. Just because you are alone doesn’t mean you shouldn’t treat yourself to the same enjoyable experience you would a partner.

Don’t underestimate the importance of your pets. Snuggling with the family pet is a great way to lift your spirits. Not only does it feel good to be loved but your vibrational frequency will match theirs and that is good because most domesticated pets are very happy in the right conditions.

Your children may trigger the same response, however if you feel truly unwell it is always best to have someone else watch the children if the option is open to you. Running around after multiple toddlers is not the antidote for the period pain zombie virus.

So many aspects of hygge can be comforting during your period, try them out, you might surprise yourself!

Freja