4 Tips For Dealing With Your Period During The Summer *

-This post is in collaboration with Cheeky Wipes-

Dealing with your monthly period can be a challenge, especially during the summer months with sweltering heat, less clothing and stressful travel plans. But there are a number of things you can do to make your period more bearable in the summer, some of which you might not have even thought about! 

1. Get Active

During the summer, it’s much easier to get yourself moving outdoors as the weather is usually much more pleasant. However, when your period starts, you might feel sluggish and prefer to curl up on the sofa if fatigue and period pains are something you struggle with. 

Gentle exercise like swimming can however help relieve painful period cramps, help loosen tight muscles and get blood pumping around your body. In addition to this, exercising is good for releasing feel-good endorphins which can help you to cope with difficult period cramps.

Now, you might think going for a swim during your period is a crazy idea, but there are lots of products available to allow you to enjoy a nice relaxing swim even while on your period, which brings us onto point number 2.

2. Wear Period Proof Swimwear

For complete peace of mind when swimming, you may want to try period proof swimwear. These look like any other swimwear but are designed to absorb menstrual blood and avoid leaks, eliminating the need to worry about a pad or tampon. Period proof swimwear is also great for people with irregular periods or who are entering into puberty, so if your period arrives unexpectedly, you are prepared. 

You may also opt for other period proof clothes during the warmer days, like period proof thongs or period proof shorts, which again provide a cute and comfortable alternative to pads and tampons. 

3. Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is hugely important when on your period, especially during the summer. If you are spending a lot of time outside in the heat or getting your body moving through exercise, you will be more than likely to lose a lot of fluids through your sweat. If you’re not drinking enough water to counteract this loss of fluids, then you could end up suffering.

What’s more, if you suffer from fluid retention and bloating during your period, this could be a sign that you’re not drinking enough water and could be made worse by the loss of fluids in the heat. Drinking more water will help to relieve symptoms like fluid retention and bloating by flushing out the excess water that your body is holding onto. It will also help to flush out waste and toxins that could be responsible for other period symptoms like acne flare-ups.

4. Tackle Those Cramps

Cramps are never fun, but they always seem worse when you're at the beach or around the pool, when you’re supposed to be having fun with friends. To tackle those cramps, take a pain reliever like paracetamol. If ordinary painkillers do not help, your GP may prescribe a stronger painkiller, such as naproxen or codeine. 

You could also consider these ideas: go to the bathroom frequently (full bowels and bladder can make cramps feel worse); when you're lying by the pool or on the beach, elevate your legs with a stack of towels or your beach bag, or lie on your stomach and breathe slowly. Caffeine is also known to exacerbate cramps, so it may be a good idea to avoid caffeine. 

Written by Kate, on behalf of Cheeky Wipes. 

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