Shades of Menses
The phases of the moon time
Menstruation en route is like a ride down a roller coaster to say at the best. Just when life seems to be an absolute blessing, the ovaries decide to hit us with the most relieving yet torturous and nasty journey a person could think of. Like a rocky road full of curves, menstruation has bents on each phase — pre-period, period, and post-period. It is not just a condition concocted by one to gallivant on streets as an excuse for miserable mood. And to the non-menstruating community who believe the struggle is just a myth — as Rachel Green said “No Uterus, No Opinions”.
To begin with, PMS or Premenstrual Syndrome is real, and it affects 3 out of every 4 women at least once in a lifetime. It affects every state of our being — emotional, mental, and physical. PMS manifests in all broad-ranged symptoms possible. Each person’s symptoms and intensity vary depending on their hormones. The most dreadful physical signs of menses include- cramps, bloating, constipation, acne, and muscle aches. Not only this, but it also causes anxiety, stress, and incomprehensible mood swings. PMS lasts anywhere from a few to several days before the onset of menstruation. This duration is often accompanied by frequent anger outbursts because the body stays in aches and the mind wonders ‘Why?’. It is indubitably the known devil that comes to attack every single month.
Then comes ‘that time of the month’, the clichéd phrase used to depict the occurrence of menses, all to avoid squinty eyes turning. Menstruation is a vital part of life. This cycle helps the body prepare for pregnancy every month. It lasts for about 3–7 days. The hormones Estrogen and Progesterone control the menstrual cycle and periods, which explains their falling levels during periods. Menstruations start with light bleeding, getting heavier with each passing day and then tapers off. For the motion of the blood, the muscles tighten and relax therefore causing aches in the stomach, lower back, and even thighs. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are some severe conditions that also may be experienced during periods. For many people, this duration becomes so hurtful that they have to turn to over-the-counter pain medications to help ease the symptoms.
“Menstruation Scares and Sentiments” are a bizarre set of feelings and insecurities that come alongside periods. One could go from feeling content while sipping a nice cup of tea to feeling ruthless enough to burn bridges down, all in 2 seconds. The levels of irritability are so high that one could start screaming about the tinniest of issues and then end up crying about it right away. No matter how many blessings a girl counts for her existence as herself, this phase is known to come with feelings of resentment about it. It is obvious to feel like living a derailed life due to periods, because the body knows about nothing but pain, and emotions become a trainwreck that loses sync with reality. The constant aches become so unbearable for some people that it literally becomes impossible for them to do any sort of work in this phase. Sneezes and coughing make everything seem like ‘The Red Wedding’ all over. Moreover, this is the time to bid adieu to any light-shaded clothes, because stains are another reason for those squinty eyes turning. Most importantly, the heart craves delicious food. Period Scares are not just bounded to the ‘days while periods are on’, but they come to existence anytime month-long plans have to be prepared. It is very unfortunate when a person plans their month keeping their period dates in mind, but then hormonal imbalances postpone or prepone it, and all plans are left ruined. Uncontrollable overwhelming feelings are meant to take over in such a nerve-racking ride.
We are bound to seek a “Sweet Escape” from the realities of life. The sweetest escapes during menstruation by popular count, as the name suggests, are SWEETS! There is nothing that a bottle of Nutella or a mug of Hot Chocolate can’t fix. Eating a tub of ice cream whilst watching a favorite show is the most common Period Pleasure practiced. Since random cravings happen at the weirdest hours of the night, some people actually stock up their favorite snacks pre-hand. Beyond food, curling up and sleeping actually seems to provide relief to the unbearable aches and cramps. There is no better feeling than coming home after a long day and hugging a hot water pad to bring relief to the belly or lower back. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is definitely a rational choice that helps the body bear with pains and fatigue. Beyond the guilty pleasures of delicious food and sleep, exercise and yoga also help in reducing the symptoms of periods and brings freshness to the mind. It is very essential to know what all helps in dealing with period problems on a personal level, so that ‘these times shall pass easily too’.
The day after the periods hit the brakes feels like a breath of fresh air. Sometimes it feels like returning to sanity after the adrenaline-charged days that just passed by. Post-period days might leave one feel low on energy level because the body becomes exhausted, but it is definitely not hard to cope with.
Post-Menstrual Syndromes are actually believed to be less common than pre-menstrual ones. Usually, they last for just a few days, with more psychological symptoms than physical. Pain and cramping in joints, belly, and lower back still continues. Fits of anger and high levels of irritability are very common in people. In certain severe cases, people report feeling depressed or find difficulty in concentrating and even sleeping. This is because some people are adversely affected by the hormonal imbalances after their period. Not only this, but diet may also act as a big factor. The saddest part- the cozy and sweet escape bestowed upon the desperate heart by sweets might actually turn out to be troublesome for some people, because a high sugar diet with lots of processed foods can cause blood pressure to rise, putting the body under more oxidative stress. Well, one can just wish for saccharine to be nutritious, or totally live in denial and slurp down that luscious hot chocolate shake anyway without a care in the world!
Nevertheless, it is truly a gift to be able to menstruate, because it depicts the healthy functioning of one’s body. It depicts an ultimate strength, being able to bleed all day every day and still be so strong to work, study, play, dance, teach, drive, and do so much more. Menstruating also signifies that if one wishes to become a mother someday, they can, which is the most fascinating and pure power any person could have. Indubitably, it is an arduous journey, to bleed 7days a month, ache woefully, suffer through the syndromes, and not feel like yourself for many more days. Indeed, it is so astounding how one could carry herself so graciously even then.
So ladies, be proud of your amazing bodies!
“For you,
you bloom flowers.
You shine through,
from what hides you in dark,
like it’s the moonlight that bleeds out of you.”
~
Words bought to life by Jyotika
Design crafted by Ramya
