Having your period isn’t fun (I know, shocking revelation, right?). Personally, I don’t remember the last time having my period made me feel like frolicking on a beach or star-jumping in a white bikini. Usually, when I have my period, all I want to do is curl up into a ball on the couch and eat my bodyweight in Tim Tams. Sounds alarmingly familiar, doesn’t it?
But instead of feeling sorry for ourselves and putting our lives on hold for five-to-seven days, it’s time we each took a good, hard look in the mirror and said “no period, you will no longer keep me from living my life.” (Feel free to repeat if you need extra encouragement.)
So from now on, here are some things that we’re NOT going to let our periods keep us from doing:
Feeling comfortable
Did you know, according to a national survey conducted by STAYFREE®, that more than half of Australian women often feel constricted by the things they wear on a daily basis? Throw a pad in the mix and we bet that statistic jumps up a few notches. Well, guess what? You no longer have to suffer in pads that feel like nappies, because STAYFREE® Ultra Thins now feature PerfectFit™ technology, meaning that not only are the pads super thin, but they move as you move, so you won’t even know that you’re wearing one!
Playing sport
If you’ve ever sat out a game or ditched a gym session because you thought that your period would affect your performance, you’re wrong. In fact, Olympic bronze medal-winning waterpolo player, Holly Lincoln-Smith, revealed to us that she often thought her period affected her game, but it was all just a superstition. “I’ve played some of the best water polo tournaments I’ve ever played while having my period,” she says. “Really, it doesn’t affect my performance at all…Periods are more a psychological hurdle than a physical one when it comes to exercise.”
And if it’s cramps that are stopping you from getting active, Holly recommends eating well (think: lots of fruit, vegetables, protein, and grains) and drinking lots of water to help prevent the pain.
Dressing up and looking good
‘That time of the month’ is usually when you turn to sloppy track pants, hoodies, and pyjamas for comfort. And while we get that having your period makes you feel about as sexy as tree, sometimes putting on your favourite dress, curling your hair, and heading out of your house will get you out of that rut and help you to feel human again. So go on, ditch the date with your daggy trackies, TV, and Tim Tams and head out with your girlfriends instead – it’s guaranteed to make you feel better!
Getting intimate
Like we said, you’re probably not feeling very sexy during your period, but that doesn’t mean you have to rule out ‘sexy time’ altogether. Dr. Nikki Goldstein, Sexologist and Relationship Expert, shares how you can still be intimate with your partner:
“You can still be intimate when you have your period, but that does not mean necessarily having sex. When we kiss and touch someone, we can release the same sex hormones, oxyotcin, that are released when we have sex. This helps us to bond and stay in love with someone. Physical intimacy is important in a relationship, and we can still achieve this when we have our period. A kiss and a hug might help to take the cramps away too.”
Do you let you period stop you from doing anything? How do you get through the tough days of your period?
Crazy things your body does…
Tips to get you through your period…
