Sleep Better - How to Make Your Period Less Heavy and Painful

Tip #1 Prevent Leaking

Leaking is a problem that most women have already faced at least once in their lifetime – both during the day and during the night - and is completely normal.

Here are a few things you can do to to prevent leaking while on your period:

1. Wear the right underwear and pants – The hardest but most important part is finding underwear that is comfy but not too big since that can allow too much movement, causing the leaking of your period. You can also try to use one pair of underwear over the other to make sure it's tight enough.
2. Choose the right period products – You should avoid using tampons during the night if you sleep more than 8 hours since you could be at risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). What is believed to be the safest option is using pads with wings or menstrual cups.
3. Be aware of when your period is coming. Some women can preditct the exact date due symptoms but it's also very helpful to have have a period tracking app.

Click here to find period tracking apps.

Tip #2 Get Rid Of Period Cramps

Period cramps can be annoying – especially during the night.

However, there are a few things you can do to alleviate your pain or even make it go away so that you can get the rest that you need:

• Place a heat patch around your abdomen – it’s found to be even more effective than over the counter medicine!
• Massage your tummy with some essential oils before bed – try lavender, sage, or rose.
• Take a pain killer – but don’t take anything stronger than it needs to be, as it can be harmful to your body.
• Take a nice hot bath before bed – another way to get some nice warmth to your tummy, or drink some hot tea.

Remember that it is more than normal suffering from period cramps but if it gets too bad and none of these tips help, you might want to get advice from a professional doctor.

Tip #3 Go to bed earlier

Your need for sleep will increase by latest during the second half of your period.

That happens because your hormone levels tend to drop then. In turn, your body temperature may spike and mess up your circadian rhythm (also known as your biological clock).

You can try to sleep more to prevent sleep deprivation as that may increase the risk of other health issues, especially over a longer period of time.

A great way to do so is going to sleep a little earlier than you usually do, like 30-45 minutes before than usual. There are chances that you will feel less tired the next morning and with a better mood.

Tip #4 Change Your Sleeping Position

Your sleeping position plays a very important role when it comes to your sleep quality and this is even more accurate during your period.

It is very hard to find a position that can guarantee the prevention of leaking. However, there are some sleeping positions you can try and see if they help, such as:

• The fetal position- It allows the muscles around your abdominal area to get relaxed, which provides the much-needed relief for your cramps In addition,by doing this, there are almost zero chances of leakage.
• The child's pose- This might not be the most comfortable position for everyone since it involves folding forward and putting your head on your mattress with your knees curled beneath you, but it's no surprise that it relieves period cramps, knowing that it is also a yoga position.
• Also, just sleeping on your side helps take pressure off your abdominal muscles and helps to relieve cramps, too.
• On your back- Sleeping in this position allows you to massage your abdomen before you fall asleep, which can help ease cramps.
  According to Healthline, lavender and cinnamon oil may help ease your cramps if you use them during an abdomen massage.

Another great thing you can do is adding extra pillows for extra comfort or get a pillow that adapts to your needs, is breathable and dust-mite resistant in order to make you feel more comfortable and safe.

Tip #5 Keep your bedroom cool

During your period, your body temperature increases due to hormones, which might make falling asleep difficult. Try to keep your bedroom between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit or 15-20 degress celcius for a cool sleeping climate.

Leave your window slightly open and allow fresh air to flow inside of your bedroom.

Tip #6 Keep a good diet

While it may be tempting to crawl into your kitchen and grab whatever you are craving, try not to.

Stick to light and lean meals to make sure that you don’t encounter any digestive problems, as there’s no need for additional problems in the belly area.

Some helpful tips are:

• Drink a lot of water. Staying hydrated can reduce your chances of getting dehydrated, a common symptom during menstruation and it can also prevent you from getting bloated.
• Eat plenty of fruit. Not too much, of course but during this time when you lose a lot of blood, it is important to keep your vitamin intake, specially water-rich fruits, such as watermelon and cucumber.
• Eat leafy green vegetables. Again, as we lose a lot of blood, it's common that your iron levels decrease. Specially if you have a heavy flow, Kale, spinach and broccoli are iron-rich vegetables that will make you feel better during this time.

Tip #7 Don’t Skip The Gym

There is no reason why you should skip your gym or workout sessions while on your period! Exercising is great for both your physical and mental health and overall wellbeing. In fact, there's evidence that exercise can be helpful during this time.

Furthermore, exercising helps you feel less anxious and also combats depression.

A daily aerobic workout for example, often blocks the chemicals that cause pain.

Other physical exercises that are great are running, playing tennis or yoga.

Yoga has proven to be beneficial for women while on their period. Deep breathing, gentle stretching, and chanting may be beneficial for you. It can help to alleviate back pain and cramping. Some people find it also helps them balance their emotions.

Tip #8 Take Smart Naps

Remember that you need more sleep during your period?

Another way to catch up on some z’s is taking some smart naps. With smart, we mean that there are some ground rules that you need to follow.

First off, don’t nap longer than 20 minutes. Otherwise, you will just feel more sleepy afterwards.

Second, try to nap around 2pm. That’s when your energy levels are the lowest and whatever you do – do not nap in the evenings as it will mess up your good night’s sleep.

Do also not forget to avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine before going to bed. All of them will drastically decrease the quality of your sleep or even worsen your pain.

Sleeping On Your Period Can Be Difficult

Don't feel guilty or bad about what you are feeling. After all, it's part of our nature but Vita Talalay is here to try and get you the best sleeping experience possible.

If you are looking to improve the quality of your sleep even more, we recommend trying our latex mattresses, latex pillows and latex mattress toppers.

When we go through hard times like this, having a good quality mattress and pillow is essencial to ensure a good night of sleep and give you the rest that you need and deserve. It is never too late to invest in your health and well-being and we are here to help you find what works best for you.

Click here to find a retailer near you!