Menstrual Cramps: Five Simple Relief

Some severe cramps woke me up in the middle of the night. They kept me up for a while.

I gently messaged my pelvic area and breathed deeply into that area.

I eventually drifted back to sleep. When I got up this morning, I felt rested, calm and peaceful.

In my 20s, I used to have really bad cramps. I remember one time I had terrible cramps while working at the office. They were so bad I broke down, rolled up in a ball on the floor, trembling, and covered with cold sweat.

It was quite a sight!

Unable to stand up myself, a male colleague had to carry me home. He looked concerned, but also completely bewildered by what I was experiencing.

“If only guys knew what we women go through…” I thought to myself.

I’m in my 30s now, and the cramps are not as bad. They’re still there, but much more tolerable. Doctors say that menstrual cramps lessen with age – surely one of the benefits of getting older.

5 Simple Tips to Relieving Menstrual Cramps

Over the years, I’ve learned a few things that help me relieve menstrual cramps:

Abdominal Massage

Gently message around the lower abdominal area. Apply certain essential oils to help relieve period pains. Deep breathing into this area also seems to help relieve pressure and tension.

Learn how I healed my uterus.

Heat

Apply a heating pad in the pelvic area or lower back. Heat works really well to relieve tension and pain.

Herbs

Certain herbs such as Dong Guai, Chaste Berry and Raspberry Leaf are great at warming and tonifying the uterus.

When I am menstruating, I enjoy cuddling up in bed with a cup of Moon Cycle tea (a tea blend with these tonic herbs). It’s pretty much a cure for almost any discomfort for me.

Nettle tea is another great remedy for menstrual cramps accompanied with heavy bleeding. Learn more about the benefits of nettle.

If you take painkillers to relieve your period pain, try Cramp Bark instead. It’s a natural muscle relaxant without the side effects of making you feel drowsy.

Exercise

Exercise such as walking and yoga, is another cure for all. Life is in the movement. This is the truth.

Check out a simple uterus exercise to relieve period pain.

Supplements

Vitamin D

A Italian study showed that vitamin D may help relieve period pain by reducing the production of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which can trigger painful periods. Learn more about the study on vitamin D and period cramps.

Magnesium

Several studies have confirmed the effectiveness of magnesium in improving PMS moods, and in reducing period cramping, weight gain, swelling of the hands and legs, breast tenderness, and abdominal bloating. The U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for magnesium is 280 mg/day for women.

Personally, I use Calcium-Magnesium Complex 1000mg by Country Life. It’s convenient to get my daily doses of calcium and magnesium in a single capsule. And even though it contains 500mg of magnesium, it’s worked fine for me.

I hope you find these tips helpful. If you have a good one that works well for you, please share with the rest of us. Thank you!