Period pain: How to relieve menstrual cramps the natural way

Abdominal cramps, mood swings, headaches, anxiety, sleep disruption, digestive discomfort, bloating and hormones running wild – our periods can be a real pain!

If this sums up your time of the month, then you’re not alone. In fact, 80% of women will experience painful periods within their lifetime. What’s more, 5-10% of women say that their periods have been severe enough to disrupt their daily activities, while one in four seek over-the-counter treatments for their symptoms.

But not everyone likes to pop pain-killers. So if you’re looking for a more natural remedy to your monthly problem, then here are some ideas to help to ease the cramps, without the need for medication or pills.

CBD

CBD is making waves in the wellness world as more people with periods are discovering how effective it can be at soothing cramps and calming menstrual symptoms. How? CBD targets nerve receptors that can help to decrease the sensitivity of pain, relax muscles and soothe inflammation.

Women’s wellness brand Our Remedy has supercharged its Moon Swings CBD Oil with an added blend of peppermint and clary sage, two essential oils renowned for their women’s wellness benefits. The award-winning product has a refreshing peppermint taste (a welcome change from the usual earthy-hemp flavour of CBD) and is 100% vegan and cruelty-free.

Our Remedy’s founder Rachel recommends taking it daily in order to enjoy the cramp-conquering benefits. Aside from helping to make cramps more manageable, users have also said the oil has helped to relieve endometriosis symptoms and calm PMS-related anxiety. Drop half a pipette into your herbal tea, coffee or hot chocolate and wait 1-2 weeks for the CBD to gradually build up in your body and take effect. Use all month long for a more balanced and happier period.

Yoga

“When period cramps strike, the last thing we feel like doing is exercise,” says London-based yoga instructor Jess Fraser. “However, there are four simple and effective moves I’d recommend to help ease period cramps that won’t require breaking a sweat.”

The first to try is child’s pose, which relieves pains in the lower back and abdomen. The next is aptly named ‘legs up the wall’ pose – this posture increases blood circulation and encourages lymphatic drainage. The standing forward fold can help to calm the body’s central nervous system, as well as easing cramps. And finally, the bound angle pose helps with those shooting pains you can get in your lower abdomen during that time of the month.

Massage

Massaging encourages blood flow, so even dedicating five minutes to giving your tummy some TLC may help to ease any cramps. You could try massaging using an essential oil such as lavender and clary sage, both of which are known for their soothing benefits.

There are also a number of menstrual cramp-specific acupuncture pressure points to try, one of which involves applying light pressure two inches below your belly button.

Hot compress

Whether your heat source of choice is a hot water bottle or a bubbly bath, heat therapy works by relaxing the muscles of the uterus, increasing blood flow and easing pain.

Team all of the above with a mug of peppermint tea (which can help soothe muscle spasms) and a box-set of your choice, and you’re all set to conquer those cramps!

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