6 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR PERIOD LESS PAINFUL

Don't let that time of the month slow you down - here's how to conquer cramps and other discomfort and feel stronger than ever

- ALYSSA SHAFFER

It's a pretty common scenario: You, on the couch, clutching a pillow, cursing your cramps. In fact, dysmenorrhea (the scientific term for pain associated with menstruation) affects about half of all women who get their period for at least one or two days each month. But discomfort doesn't have to be a regular occurrence.

1 GET AHEAD

"Most period cramps are caused by an overproduction or oversensitivity to the hormone prostaglandin", explains Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynaecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine in the US. "Prostaglandins help the uterine muscles contract, but they can also cause other muscles like those in the gut to contract, causing pain as well as diarrhoea and nausea." Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen block the formation of prostaglandins. Take it 24 to 48 hours before your period is due with food, says Minkin. "It can be a little more difficult to stop the cramps once you miss that window." Just don't overdo it NSAIDs can increase the risk of ulcers and other complications in high doses.

Follow these strategies to keep you feeling strong and healthy all month long.

3 Poses to Make You Feel Better

Yoga may not work miracles around your cycle, but it can certainly help provide at least some short-term relief. Instructor Kristin McGee, author of Chair Yoga, offers her favourite three poses to help reduce period pain.

Cat/Cow

WHY IT HELPS Relieves lower back pain