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Feeling better during menstruation

28.2.2020

Translation: machine translated

Although these remedies do not relieve your menstrual cramps, they do make you feel better during your period.

Over the years, I have tried many remedies that promise to alleviate menstrual cramps: Medication, acupuncture, homeopathy, exercise, heat patches - I've even taken CBD drops and put crystals on my stomach. Nevertheless, last Saturday evening I had to cancel a friend's appointment at short notice because I got such severe abdominal cramps that I couldn't have alleviated them with any of these remedies. The idea of leaving the house in this state or having a cosy glass of wine in a bar seemed impossible. Instead, I would lie in front of the TV at 11pm in a fetal position like in a bad Hollywood film and think to myself: "happy weekend".

In the past, articles like "This helps effectively against period pain" made me sit up and take notice. Today, I try to accept the pain and no longer fight it. I have learnt that it is most effective for me if I create an environment in which I feel comfortable and can relax. It doesn't make the pain go away, but it's a lot easier to bear - even on a Saturday evening.

Take a lavender bath

When I'm in pain, my body tenses up and tenses up, which intensifies the pain. A bath helps me to counteract this cycle. The scent of lavender soothes me while the warm water wraps itself around my body like a gentle embrace. My favourite thing to do is light a few candles and listen to classical music. Why classical music? I don't know, but it relaxes me.

Tip: If you don't like lavender, mix the aromatic oils Ylang and Neroli or Orange and add them to the running bath water.

Create an oasis of well-being

Even if the body feels weak, it's not sick. That's why I don't want to lie in bed, but instead make myself cosy on the sofa with a soft plaid. A water bottle and tea also help to warm the body from the outside and inside. And there's always a Netflix series that I haven't watched yet.

Tip: Mix a tablespoon of each of the three herbs camomile, cinquefoil and lady's mantle and leave to infuse for 15 minutes.

When I'm feeling tired and unwell, I want my home to compensate twice over. To create a feel-good ambience, I avoid direct and harsh light. Instead, I rely on scented candles or warm light.

During menstruation, good is what feels good.

Meditating

As the scented candles are already lit and the tea is still too hot to drink, I bridge the waiting time with physical exercises. To do this, I reach for yoga mat and cushion and spend a few minutes in the child pose. In this pose, I sit on my heels with my knees slightly apart and bend my upper body forwards over my legs. I then rest my forehead on the floor in front of my knees and stretch my arms forwards. The palms of your hands also touch the floor.

Tip: Sit on a cushion and close your eyes. Try to breathe deeply and consciously into the pain. As you inhale, count slowly to four, hold your breath for about the same amount of time and then exhale twice as long to eight. Repeat this for about seven rounds. This duration is enough for me to feel more relaxed. As is so often the case, breathing in and out deeply can work wonders.

Massage

I'm a big fan of essential oils. I use one that I rub on my chest in the morning and evening before I go to sleep. And also one that I use during my period. A few drops of lavender or marjoram oil mixed with a neutral body oil such as jojoba is best for me, as essential oils should always be used diluted on the skin. Gently massage the stomach or lower back with it. Camomile, geranium or fennel smell particularly good to me. They make me feel like I'm in a spa.

Tip: Essential oils can help with various ailments, provided you know which ones: To familiarise yourself with them, I recommend specialist literature.

Keep to rituals

These tips have not only become fixed feel-good rituals for me during my menses that I no longer want to do without, but also help me to consciously take time for myself once a month.

How do you create an oasis of well-being during your period? Leave your tip in the comments column.

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Carina Iten

Editor

carina.iten@gmail.com

In the mornings, meditating is part of my morning routine, in the evenings I cultivate a distinct Cüpli culture, and in between I try to find the unusual in the ordinary.

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