We have all been there. Truth be told, it happens to the best of us. We get cranky on the mundane of things and sometimes find ourselves crying when we can’t open the simple lid of the damn jam bottle. The noisy children in the building abruptly becomes our arch enemy and we despise the sound of anyone even breathing anywhere near our radar of consciousness. A week later when we find the red spot in our undies, it all starts to make sense. We were, in fact, not losing our mind. It is the PMS sashaying into our lives, possessing us and telling us Period Is Coming.

Research studies suggest that over 90% of women experience PMS (premenstrual symptoms) such as bloating, headaches, and moodiness. Changes in hormone levels during the menstrual cycle may play a role however the exact cause of PMS is unknown. These changing hormone levels may affect some women more than others. While some of us do go absolutely crazy much to the dismay of our rather innocent partners or family members, there are some who do not experience any such symptoms. While PMS is quite common, it may not be always normal and it is definitely not wise to brush it under the carpet.

A more severe form of PMS, called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) may happen to few women and one need to consult a doctor for the same. In such cases, Ice creams may not help! But the good news is that PMS may not be as simple as making Maggi but it is not rocket science either. And if we try to understand our body and make some lifestyle changes, we may be able to shoo this PMS away. Here are few tips on how can we keep PMS at bay:

a. Regular Exercise: Regular exercise helps in improving your mood by boosting important brain chemicals called endorphins which in turn helps in reducing the amount of pain you feel from PMS

b. Healthy Eating Habits: This one is as obvious as, well, period stains on our pants. Healthy eating helps. Period. Avoiding foods and drinks with caffeine, salt, and sugar in the two weeks before your period may lessen many PMS symptoms. Shoving your mouth with all all the comfort food (read junk food) will not help your bloating. Instead drink lots of water, eat leafy vegetables, yoghurt.

c. Disciplines sleep cycle: eight hours of sleep each night is very important for overall health and even more crucial during those two weeks before periods. Lack of sleep is linked to depression and anxiety and can make PMS symptoms such as moodiness worse.

So here is the thing. If one morning, you wake up and find yourself irritable, cranky, hungry for no reason whatsoever (in short, you wake up and want to kill everyone in sight), take a deep breath, check your period calendar (on that note, if you don’t know your dates and don’t track your period cycle, do yourself a good little favour and get a period calendar for yourself now) and tell yourself, it’s not you, it’s the PMS.