Apparently, This Is Why Your Period Completely F*cks Up Your Sleeping Schedule
1 March 2017, 16:49 | Updated: 8 May 2017, 17:09
The more you know...
Have you ever wondered why your sleep schedule is completely f*cked when you're on your period? Always waking up way too early, sweating in your sleep, having trouble getting to sleep in the first place? All of that and then you're completely exhausted (and miserable) for the rest of the day. What. A. Mess.
Pink Parcel, which is a monthly subscription box for all things period, spoke to therapist Pat Duckworth and sleep expert Maryanne Taylor about the possible causes for the lack of sleep that affect almost 33% of menstruating women. So, here's a few explanations as to why your entire sleep cycle is thrown out of the window when you're on your period.
1) Actual physical pain.
"As well as headaches and cramps, digestive issues such as indigestion, nausea or diarrhoea can increase during a period all of which can have a significant impact on sleep."
Well, duh. That one was pretty obvious wasn't it? It's almost impossible to get to sleep when it feels like the Demogorgon is terrorising your insides. Therapist Pat suggests keeping a journal to track the things (dietary, exercise habits and levels of stress) that trigger discomfort and flare ups in your symptoms. That way, you'll be able to track how much it's actually affecting your sleep and make changes when you need to. Thanks Pat.
2) Your hormones are trying to sabotage your entire life.
NBC / via giphy.com
“The cause of many problems is down to hormone levels. The levels of oestrogen and progesterone vary during the menstrual cycle. Oestrogen levels peak around ovulation and then decline before the start of your period. Progesterone, which can make you feel sleepy, also drops before your period – which is the time when women generally have sleep issues.”
3) Core body temperature
FX / via giphy.com
“Your core temperature rises considerably after ovulation, so feeling uncomfortable from heat can affect how we sleep.”
According to Maryanne, there's a handful of things you can to do lower your body temperature. Like keep a glass of water next to you to keep your temperature regulated, lower the temperature of your room and go with us on this one... have a warm bath or shower before bed to lower your internal temperature.
The more you know...
