HSP’s Life - That time of the month
Hi Friends,
Have you ever experienced your mood completely fluctuating during your menstrual cycle?
If the answer is yes, you are not alone!
Just to make an example, last month I attended a lovely event for young people at my workplace, where we would accompany them to do different activities and the main aim was for the YP to have fun and make new friendships. Despite I was really excited about it, it was the second day of my period and I already knew it would be a struggle. So, I psychologically prepared myself, thinking that I would try my best to go with the flow and enjoy the event as much as possible. Of course it didn't go as I wished. I often stumbled, my mind felt so cloudy, at times I couldn't catch straight away when someone was making a joke and often I didn't know what to say during conversations and I couldn't relax at all. So then I started to feel like a fish out of the water and think how weird I am.
The thing is, during this time I feel super slow, physically and psychologically speaking, and I also get really anxious. This means that I start to overthink about very small things - more than usual - and it is like, I constantly have a big black cloud upon my head, that makes me see everything negative. Fortunately after the event I had a chat with my friend (and flatmate) who reminded me that this often happens when a woman is on her period - and I was like "gosh! you're right!". It could sound so simple, but having my feelings validated by my friend, made me feel like I was not crazy and also reminded me that lots of women struggle during their menstrual cycle.
My PMS symptoms, in fact, start slowly one week before my period and reach their highest point during the second day of my period. After that, they start to slowly reduce, until I come back to be " a normal person" in few days. Of course our body is not a clock, so despite there are specific phases for the menstrual cycle, it is not always perfectly predictable. So, how it shows and its length may vary from one woman to another.
Basically, your menstrual cycle starts, with the follicular phase beginning on the first day of menstrual bleeding, and with the development of follicles in the ovaries. During the development of follicles, estrogen levels climb and dominate over progesterone levels.Therefore we might feel more at ease and in a good mood. After that, there is the ovulation phase, when a mature egg is released from an ovary and moves along a fallopian tube towards your uterus. This usually happens once each month, about two weeks before your next period. The third phase, known as the luteal phase, begins after ovulation and it lasts about 14 days (unless fertilization occurs) and ends just before a menstrual period. If no pregnancy happens, progesterone will peak and then drop. It is these hormonal changes that can contribute to the common premenstrual symptoms, such as mood changes, tiredness, headaches, acne, bloating, and breast tenderness. After that, menstruation will begin again, and the cycle starts over (1).
So now imagine all these applied to a Highly Sensitive Person. As Dr. Amanda Cassil mentioned "we don’t have any research that speaks directly to how HSPs differ from non-HSPs in menstruation, but it’s a reasonable assumption that HSPs will feel the effects of menstruation more intensely. As hormones fluctuate throughout their menstrual cycle, HSPs may feel the effects of these changes more than an average person, which might lead them to experience more severe symptoms". We also know that HSPs tend to be more affected by different life stressors. So, things like high stress, poor sleep, inadequate nutrition and relational distress, all tax the nervous system and therefore can affect differently your monthly menstrual cycle (2).
My advice is to remember that your menstrual cycle doesn't need to be experienced like something negative. It is a matter of understanding what our body & mind need during this time of the month, in order to feel nurtured and safe. Remember that often the "dark black cloud" that seems to stick upon your head, is often the result of your hormones swinging, which doesn't necessarily reflect your reality. During this time what I found helpful is keeping a journal of how I feel, as this helps me to see how things might change over the month. For example, when I know my period is coming, I try to arrange my schedule at work in a way to make it as smooth as possible (whenever I'm able to do so). If I know it is coming during the weekend, I will try to avoid making big plans; treating myself with lots of naps, listening to my favourite music and watching romantic movies/tv series (yes, I know! I'm a hopeless romantic and I love period drama - Outlander & Jamie Fraser are on top of my list). Also having a chat with your best friend or someone that you really trust, can make a very big difference during this time.
I also found it very useful to use the Clue app, where you can track your period and everything you experience during the month; such as pain, bloating, sleep, sex drive, and more. The more you track, the more insight and predictions Clue can provide about your menstrual cycle (3).
Feel free to leave a comment if you would like to share your experience and if you found this post helpful.
I will link below a couple of resources.
Sending you so much love,
Simona
1. What is the menstrual cycle? - https://helloclue.com/articles/cycle-a-z/the-menstrual-cycle-more-than-just-the-period
2. Clue App - https://helloclue.com/ 3. Dr. Amanda Cassil contact link - https://stempsychology.com/