How to Relieve Period Pain

Unless things have changed a lot, they don’t cover how to relieve period pain in health class. They might tell you to take some ibuprofen or try using a heating pad but that’s about it.

Nor do they cover conditions that affect many women like endometriosis (1 in 10) or PCOS (1 in 10).

It’s so obvious now that I had endo- having such painful periods that I had to call in sick for school or work or take prescription strength amounts of painkillers regularly. 

Today I’m sharing some of the best ways to ease your period pain, besides pain medication, from someone who’s actually tried and used them. 

Please note: I am not a medical professional. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to treat or diagnose any conditions. Always consult your doctor or medical professionals. Full disclaimer available here.

Here are my top tips for how to relieve period pain.

1. Set an Alarm – 

If you’re taking medications for pain management, set a timer or alarm for the next dose. You might think you’ll remember, but you might not. 

Setting that alarm makes it so much easier for you by giving you one less thing to worry about. I’ll even go through and set alarms for the entire day that way I don’t have to think about it too much and won’t miss a dose. 

Bonus Tip- Change the labels on your alarms with instructions of what to take or make them healing affirmations.

This post may contain Affiliate links, where I earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Full disclosure available here.

2. Use the biggest heating pad you can find. 

Confession- I have a collection of heating pads– microwavable stuffed animals, rice bags, hot water bottles, and click activated heat packs. I’ve used multiples at the same time but the one I go to most often is the really big heating pad my husband found. It’s able to cover my entire front side which means lots of relief without needing all the heatables. When you need ALL THE HEAT go for the biggest size you can find. 

3. Take a hot bath with Epsom salt.

 One of our RE’s recommended hot baths since the heat is able to surround your entire abdomen and give you relief.

Taking a nice relaxing bath is a great way to unwind and let go of all the tension in your body. Ahhh. So nice.

Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, is used in hot baths to help relax muscles. Magnesium has been shown to regulate muscle contraction and is anti-inflammatory. I really like Dr. Teal’s Foaming Bath with Epsom Salt because you get the epsom salt benefits with the lusciousness of long-lasting bubbles.

If you don’t want to take a bath but need the benefits of magnesium you can talk to your doctor about a magnesium supplement like Calm. Adequate levels of magnesium can help with PMS, period headaches and muscle cramps.

Related: 11 Essentials for the Most Relaxing Bath

4. Use a Diffuser

Aromatherapy can help you to relax and when you are tense the pain just seems to multiply. Lavender is the go-to essential oil for relaxation. 

If you get headaches or nausea then you might want to add mint or ginger. 

I’ve used peppermint and spearmint with lavender and both are amazing combinations. It’s my go-to combo that I use all the time now. Give it a try!

5. Stay Hydrated.

Sometimes when you aren’t feeling well it can be so hard to make sure you’re eating and drinking enough but it’s so important. 

Try drinking water, tea and/or electrolyte drinks. I keep a few bottles of electrolyte drinks in the fridge just for this time of the month. 

That might seem silly but it’s easy for me to get out of bed the rest of the month and keep up with my water intake. 

I even do the DIY electrolyte drink where in a cup you add a squirt of lemon juice, pinch of pink Himalayan salt and fill the rest with water. But when getting out of bed is tough, the DIY version is too much work.

I like BODYARMOR LYTE as it’s only 20 calories and just 2g sugar and tasted good. The regular flavors are 120 calories and 28g of sugar (26g added- yikes!) It’s available at most grocery stores, Amazon, Target, and even Aldi.

6. Move Your Body.

The last thing you want to do is run 5 miles when your body feels like it’s waging war inside. (Even on a good day I loathe running.) Fortunately, no running is required. 

Just move your body as much as you can in ways that feel good to you. 

Stretching, yoga, or just walking around the room are good options. You can do them for just a couple minutes here and there throughout the day to keep your blood flowing and muscles relaxed. 

Focusing on your breathing during this time can also help. Listen to your body.

This yoga video has some poses that really help open up the hips and relieve period pain.

I’ve also found that the months where I maintain a regular exercise schedule, getting in at least an hour a day of movement, are the ones where I have less painful periods. 

7. Meditate.

A relaxing guided meditation gives you something to focus on besides the pain and can help you to shift your thoughts to relaxation. 

I like this one by FemFusion Fitness which is a meditation for pelvic relaxation. 

8. Try Tapping.

Tapping is a process where you go through and tap certain acupressure spots on your body in a specific sequence to release stress and pain. This technique is combined with focusing on your stress or pain and as you tap the acupressure points it lets your body know it’s safe which in turn relieves stress and anxiety.

To learn more about tapping, check out The Tapping Solution.

9. Stay Distracted.

Having a really good book, show or movie that draws you in can also help with pain relief. When all your attention is on that other thing it’s not zeroed in on the pain in your abdomen.

Throughout the month whenever you see a show or movie that you may like, add it to your watchlist for when you need it. 

I just watched Shadow and Bone on Netflix- oh my gosh, that one drew me in. I haven’t read the book yet, but parts of it reminded me of the Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas or Air Awakens by Elise Kova. 

I hope you find these ideas helpful. You deserve better than to be stuck in bed with pain. Have you already tried some of these remedies for period pain?

Let me know which of these tips has helped you:

1. Set an alarm

2. Use the biggest heating pad you can find. 

3. Take a hot bath with epsom salt.

4. Use a Diffuser.

5. Stay Hydrated.

6. Move Your Body.

7. Meditate.

8. Try Tapping.

9. Stay Distracted.

What other ways do you relieve period pain? Let me know in the comments so everyone can give it a try.

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