4 Simple Ways To Relieve Period Cramps

We all know how horrible period cramps are. Some girls don’t get a lot of pain while others deal with debilitating cramps. I personally get pretty bad cramps and it really puts a damper on my day. I’m lucky enough where it only lasts one day, but I’d love any tips on how to reduce the pain! I’ve created a super quick guide on some easy ways to relieve period cramps. This won’t cure them completely, but they should help ease some of the pain!

1. Heat Therapy

This is the most obvious one that pretty much every girl knows. Heat is your best friend when you start to get cramps. There isn’t actual scientific facts that heat relieves the pain, but it is a remedy that has been used for years, and I personally believe it works. It’s said that it’s possible for heat to reduce the constriction of blood vessels and improve the blood flow to the uterus. SCIENCE!

If you are like me and were not blessed with having a heating pad in hand, you can always use different remedies such as getting a hot towel and place it in the area, or you can DIY your own rice bag! Don’t know what that is? Probably the easiest DIY heat pack! Just fill an old sock with rice and sew it up! Then you can microwave it and reuse it as well! Here’s a tutorial on how to make one!

2. Exercise

I know the last thing you want to do when you’re experiencing cramps is to exercise, but trust me you should. Exercising releases endorphins that reduce your menstrual cramps. You don’t need to run a marathon or deadlift your pain away to get some relief. Just 15-20 minutes of light aerobics and stretching can give you a bit of relief from the pain you’re feeling!

I know it’s hard to do anything when you’re in pain, but 15 minutes is worth feeling less pain, right? You can do it! If you really are not in the mood to do aerobics, I would absolutely do yoga instead. The stretch to your core could definitely help some of the pain melt away.

3. Reduce Caffeine

Caffeine can cause discomfort from cramping. Caffeine makes your blood vessels constrict and may cause the vessels that feed the uterus to tighten! Reducing your intake doesn’t just mean coffee! You should reduce the tea and sugary drinks like soda or energy drinks that may contain it as well.

If you’re looking for a pick-me-up, I recommend making a big smoothie packed with tons of fruits and veggies, specifically high in magnesium which is said to help cramps.

4. Take A Bath

I believe this one is the easiest to convince someone to do! Baths will not magically relieve your cramps, trust me, but they will help you relax. Draw yourself a nice hot bath and add a few essential oil drops like lavender. I would also add some Epsom salt which helps relieve muscle inflammation. The heat from the bath will help the constriction and the essential oil will help you relax. The combination of all of these should definitely give you some sense of relief, if not at least relax you while you deal with the pain.

I know how tough it can be, and you could always take the easy route and just take a painkiller. However, I wanted to solely talk about remedies that didn’t involve the use of drugs and mostly just helped you stay in tune with your body. I personally get pretty bad cramps for the first day and I know how tough it can be to not just reach for the pain killers.

What are some remedies you use for menstrual cramp relief? Let me know in the comments!

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