How to relieve PMS symptoms

Top things to know about PMS symptoms:

• Most people experience some premenstrual symptoms, but that doesn’t mean all people who menstruate have clinical PMS 

• You can track all of your PMS symptoms and experiences in the Clue app

• Tracking with Clue can also help you get the most out of your workouts and social activities by looking at how you feel at different points throughout your cycle

• PMS symptoms that impact your life by keeping you out of work or school, or impact your relationships, warrant a visit to a healthcare provider – it could be more than just PMS 

There's a lot of conflicting scientific data out there regarding premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The most important thing to know about PMS is that most people experience some premenstrual symptoms, but that doesn’t mean all people who menstruate have clinical PMS (1). 

Some experts even argue that the entire phenomenon of PMS is overhyped and exaggerated for commercial reasons. 

The best way to work around PMS is to figure out your unique patterns and what solutions work best for relieving your symptoms. Tracking your sensations and experiences with Clue throughout the second half of your cycle might give you some insight into what PMS means for you personally. 

Track your period, PMS, cravings, and more with Clue

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The top PMS symptoms include (2):

Physical experiences

• Weight gain

• General swelling

• Breast tenderness and swelling

• Digestion changes 

  • Constipation or diarrhea

  • Bloating and gassiness

• Back pain

• Muscle and joint pain

• Headaches

• Dizziness

• Sweating more than usual 

• Acne or other skin changes

• Abdominal cramps

Emotional experiences

• Changes in sleep patterns

  • Insomnia

• Changes in appetite

  • Increased appetite

• Anxiety 

• Changes in sex drive

• Depressed mood, feeling low

• General mood changes

• Fatigue

• Anger

• Irritability

• Crying more than usual 

• Restlessness

• Confusion

• Concentration and memory problems

• Feeling less confident

• Sensitivity to light and noise

• Social isolation

There are many ways to manage PMS symptoms, and not all are medical, scientific, or evidence-based. From a hot bath to your favorite comfort food, you don’t always need evidence to know what makes you feel better. 

You might experience many or none of the symptoms above. Tracking your symptoms in Clue can help you understand how your body changes throughout the menstrual cycle. Each person is different, but if you do experience some of the above, we’ve put together  seven evidence-based solutions to relieve your PMS symptoms:

1. Eat a well-balanced diet to curb PMS symptoms

Make sure you're nourishing your body and eating a diet that provides it with the nutrients you need to thrive. Some research suggests that diets with adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D may reduce the risk of PMS (3). Diets high in thiamin (vitamin B1) and riboflavin (vitamin B2) might also reduce the risk of experiencing PMS (4). Most people eat enough thiamin, but drinking a lot of alcohol is thought to impact thiamine levels (5). A diet that’s made up of mostly highly processed foods can impact thiamin levels as well (5). Riboflavin is found in milk, organ meats, eggs, fish, nuts, wild rice, mushrooms, dark green leafy vegetables, yeast, beer, and cheese (6, 7).

Not sure if you’re getting the nutrients you need? Track your food for a few days to get an overall picture. Tracking your alcohol intake might help you cut back on alcohol if you think it’s interfering with your nutrition. Cutting back a little more each day or having a few alcohol-free days each week might help (8).

2. Work out regularly to prevent PMS symptoms

Exercise is a crucial part of a balanced life, so get the blood flowing for your overall health. It's important to not just exercise when you have PMS symptoms, but to keep a constant exercise routine. Regular exercise may help with premenstrual headaches, breast swelling, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and vomiting (9). 

Some people use a concept called cycle syncing to time their workouts when energy levels might be high. This is believed to work because concentrations of sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, impacting energy levels (10). Working out during your period can help with period pain because endorphins (a type of hormone produced during exercise) are believed to alleviate pain, anxiety, and depression while boosting mood (11, 12). Whether you’re swimming, running, doing yoga, or doing whatever workout you’re into, staying hydrated is critical because even mild dehydration can affect your flexibility, speed, and endurance while exercising (13).

3. Reduce stress to fight PMS symptoms 

The combination of stress and premenstrual syndrome might create a cycle of exacerbation. If mild to moderate anxiety or irritation is part of your PMS pattern, try calming your nerves with yoga (14), breathing exercises (15), or mindfulness-based stress reduction (16). Some types of therapy like cognitive behavioral therapy may help with premenstrual symptoms, but more research is needed (17).

4. Try supplements for PMS symptoms

Magnesium deficiency can cause a slew of symptoms, like anxiety, depression, irritability, and muscle weakness (18). Taking a magnesium supplement has been suggested to help relieve PMS-related challenges, like headaches, bloating, and irritability (19). Pairing a magnesium supplement with B6 may be even more beneficial than taking magnesium alone (19). 

A host of other supplements also have reported benefits when it comes to PMS, including garlic, zinc, vitamin D, and chasteberry (also called vitex) (20-23). The most important thing to think about when it comes to PMS supplements is that you pay attention to how they make you feel as a unique individual. Tracking your supplements in Clue, along with your PMS experiences, can help you figure out what is working for you and what isn’t. Supplements can be expensive, and the data from clinical trials that support their use isn’t very strong–much more research is needed to determine exactly which supplements are the most effective for PMS (24). 

5. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep

The relationship between PMS and sleep is complicated. It makes sense that some PMS symptoms like period cramps, gassiness, heavy bleeding, or diarrhea can definitely impact how much you sleep and the quality of that sleep. Some research suggests that treating PMS symptoms like these can improve sleep quality (25). But does PMS impact sleep or does sleep impact PMS? There may be a link between poor quality sleep and menstrual cycle irregularity, changes in cycle length, length of the menstrual cycle, and even menstrual cycle flow, or how much you bleed each month during your period (26). More research is needed to really understand how sleep and PMS coexist (27). Good sleep in general is associated with brain health and brain function like thinking sharply and forming memories (28).

Here are some general sleep tips that can promote good sleep at any time during the menstrual cycle (29):

• Wake up each day and go to bed each night at the same time. (Yes, even on the weekends.)

• Do something relaxing in the hour before bed, like taking a bath or reading a book. 

• Use eye masks and earplugs if you need to. 

• Exercise during the day to make you tired at night. (Just don’t exercise in the 4 hours before bedtime.)

• Caffeine, alcohol, and smoking within the 6 hours before bed can keep you up. So can eating a big meal at night. 

6. Don't blame every bad mood on PMS

We are not robots. A natural part of being human is to go through varying emotions. Before associating mood swings with PMS, consider other important predictors of daily mood like overall health and well-being (30). Considering PMS is used to discredit women in business and government, it's important to examine what it really is and how we talk about it. We're only perpetuating harmful stereotypes by labeling PMS as a "witch syndrome."

7. Could PMS really be a magnification of an existing health or mental health condition?

Brands that capitalize off of premenstrual syndrome spend a lot of money on sophisticated advertising that might lead people to believe certain symptoms can be attributed to PMS. It’s important to know that some existing conditions can be amplified in the premenstrual phase (31). Blaming any uncomfortable symptoms that occur during the premenstrual phase on PMS could mask an underlying health issue. Anxiety and depression often get misdiagnosed as PMS (32). Other health conditions could also be misdiagnosed as PMS. 

Some existing health conditions can be amplified during the luteal phase, especially right before the period comes. This is called premenstrual magnification and it’s especially common with mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD (32). Most people (it’s not just you!) are quick to blame any uncomfortable symptoms that occur before their period on PMS — mostly because PMS is largely a cultural construct. But blaming anything you’re feeling on PMS could mask an underlying health issue. 

When to see a doctor for PMS

Some health conditions, particularly mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, can mimic PMS and might be misdiagnosed as PMS (32). It can be really helpful to visit a healthcare provider and tell them what you’re going through. They can help you figure out if what you’re experiencing is really PMS or if there might be something else going on. 

Tracking your PMS symptoms 

Tracking PMS and your experiences in the week before your period starts for at least three menstrual cycles can help you see if there are any patterns. What is triggering your symptoms? What makes you feel better? Do you have any positive PMS experiences? Use Clue to record your data and take this information to your healthcare provider so they can get the details they need to help you figure out what’s going on.

The PMS symptom relief strategies we mentioned above are best for mild to moderate symptoms. If your symptoms are moderate to severe, it may be time to talk to your healthcare provider about exploring some potential causes for your symptoms and some more options for symptom relief.

FAQs

How do I get instant relief from PMS?

Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all cure for PMS. But here are some things you can try:

• Over-the-counter pain medicine like ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen can help with pain-related PMS symptoms like period cramps or headaches (33). Pay attention to the instructions on the medication bottle and talk to your healthcare provider if you take other medications or have a health condition to know if these pain relievers are safe for you (33). 

• Exercise that gets your heart rate up might help with mood changes or pain (33). Yoga might also help (33). 

• Like we mentioned above, prioritize how much sleep you’re getting (33). It might help with mood fluctuations or general well-being. 

• It’s hard when you’re already having a hard time not to lean on your vices – but cutting out fatty foods, salty foods, sugary treats and drinks, caffeine, and alcohol might make a big difference when it comes to PMS (33). 

• Some people find that hormonal birth control helps with PMS. Hormonal birth control includes the pill, patch, ring, implant, and hormonal IUD. These forms of birth control also have other risks and side effects (33). To look at the big picture, talk to your healthcare provider. 

Why am I angry before my period?

It’s common to experience anger, whether or not you're premenstrual. Some situations and/or people are just anger-inducing. But no one wants to feel angry all the time. It impacts work and relationships and it just doesn’t feel good to be especially angry. If you are experiencing intense anger before your period or at any time in your cycle, talking to someone about it might help. A healthcare professional like a therapist or other mental health professional might help you figure out what’s going on. There is some evidence that taking a type of antidepressant medication called an SSRI can help reduce intense anger (34). 

Which vitamins help with PMS?

A host of supplements have reported benefits when it comes to PMS, including magnesium, garlic, zinc, vitamin D, chasteberry (also called vitex) (20-23). The most important thing to think about when it comes to PMS supplements is that you pay attention to how they make you feel as a unique individual. Tracking your supplements with Clue, along with your PMS experiences, can help you figure out what is working for you and what isn’t. 

What is the best pain relief for PMS?

Over-the-counter pain medicine like ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen can help with pain-related PMS symptoms like period cramps or headaches (33). Pay attention to the instructions on the medication bottle and talk to your healthcare provider if you take other medications or have a health condition to know if these pain relievers are safe for you (33). 

How do I control PMS mood swings?

It’s important to know that some existing conditions can be amplified in the premenstrual phase (31). Blaming PMS for mood swings or significant mood changes could mask an underlying health issue. Anxiety and depression often get misdiagnosed as PMS (31). If you are experiencing mood swings before your period or at any time in your cycle, talking to someone about it might help. A healthcare professional like a therapist or other mental health professional might help you figure out what’s going on.