Natural Ways To Stop Period Cramps

1. Hot water bottle

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A hot water bottle is a classic period cramp remedy, so if you haven't tried it before, why not? Heat helps relax the muscles of the uterus and improve blood flow to the area, relaxing your body and reducing the pain. All you need is a hot water bottle, and if you're savvy with a needle and thread, you can even fashion a little carry-bag for it to keep your hands free.

2. Drink more water

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We're always told to drink more water, and so many of us don't take that advice. But if you're looking for a natural way to help relieve painful periods, this could actually work. Lots of women also suffer from painful bloating during their period, which can make cramps worse, and drinking enough water can help get rid of some of that bloat, reducing the pain.

3. Or have a cup of chamomile tea

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Chamomile tea is a bit of a love-it-or-hate-it flavour, but if you want to reduce your period pain, you might just have to grin and bare it. Chamomile is a great natural pain reliever because it's anti-spasmodic, which means it can clear up abdominal pain easy. The plant also helps regulate dopamine and serotonin, meaning it can help with those mood swings during your period, too.

4. Have sex

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We're not just talking about s*x here - any org*sm is likely to give you some relief from your period pain, so consider getting out that toy during your period. An org*sm releases lots of endorphins into your body, which provides free pain relief for your cramps and other period symptoms including headaches.

5. Try acupuncture

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Acupuncture is frequently called a sort of cure-all for all kinds of symptoms, but it can really help with period pain. Regular acupuncture sessions won't just relieve current period pain, but it could also reduce the likelihood of experiencing really painful periods in the future.

6. Take a bath

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A hot bath is one of the easiest ways of reducing your pain symptoms during your period. The heat acts as a full-body hot water bottle, helping your muscles to relax and reducing those painful cramps. If you want an even better experience, add some essential oils like lavender into the water.

7. Make your own heating pad

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If you don't have a hot water bottle to hand (why not! Get yourself one!), there's an easy remedy - all you need is some rice and a pair of old socks. Fill one of the socks with some rice and tie a knot at the top. Then, put the rice-filled sock inside the other one, knot first, and tie the second sock at the top. Place your new DIY heating pad into the microwave for a couple of minutes, and bingo! You've got your own comfy hot water bottle you can apply to your abdomen for instant relief.

8. Get a massage

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We know this might not be possible for everyone, but if you can book yourself in for a massage during the week of your period, it can provide an immense amount of relief from pain. Shiatsu massage is the best, as the massage therapist will take advantage of pressure points across the body that can help with period pain, but any massage will help you relax, release endorphins, and increase blood flow to your uterus.

9. Try aromatherapy with essential oils

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Essential oils don't just work in your bath - you can have your own at-home aromatherapy session in no time. Spreading some citronella oil on your tummy can relieve cramps, while lavender will also promote relaxation, reducing pain in your muscles. You don't have to spread the oil on your body if you don't fancy it - even just smelling some essential oils can have an effect on pain.

10. Avoid foods that will worsen your cramps

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Sorry, but it might be good for your period if you cut out chips and burgers! There are certain foods that can have a negative effect on your period pain, including those with high amounts of fat and salt. This is because period pain is partly caused by inflammation, and these kinds of foods can make inflammation worse.

11. Add fennel extract to your diet

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Fennel isn't exactly a popular herb, but having some fennel extract in your house can make for an easy period cramp remedy in a pinch.  All you've got to do is take the extract a few times a day during your period, and you could really help reduce the severity of your pain. If you can only find fennel tea, this can also help with reducing pain.

12. Eat ginger regularly

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Ginger can seemingly get rid of almost any symptom - it's a bit of a cure-all. In the case of period cramps, one study found that taking ginger powder four times a day for three days could be as effective as popping a couple of ibuprofen! Fresh ginger can be just as effective - try grating it into hot water for an instant pain-relief boost.

13. Find foods high in boron

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Boron is a natural anti-inflammatory mineral, so adding it to your diet during your period can help reduce the severity of your period cramps, and even reduce how often you get period cramps. Foods high in boron include avocados, prunes, peaches, peanuts or apples. So, swap your regular breakfast for avocado or peanut butter on toast during your period and you could naturally reduce your period pain.

14. Eat a high calcium diet

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Sure, a grilled cheese kind of opposes the 'don't eat too much fat on your period' rule, but actually, calcium could be beneficial in reducing your period cramps. Calcium can reduce cramping, including period cramps, so moderately increasing your intake during your period could help. As well as cheese, calcium can be found in veg like kale and spinach and almonds.

15. Try specific yoga poses

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Yoga has been touted as a natural pain reliever for hundreds of years, and there are some specific poses that can definitely help you find some relief from distracting period pain. Cat-cow (pictured above) can help your abdominal muscles relax, as you move through a drop-belly position and an arched back. Or, try adapted child's pose, by kneeling on the floor with your legs a little bit apart, the fold forward over your legs.

16. Lie on your back

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As funny as it sounds, this 'corpse pose' is another popular yoga movement, officially called 'savasana'. And though it looks like not much is happening in this pose, being at rest on your back can help calm your mind, which will have a powerful effect on pain in your body. So, stop work for a 10-minute breather on the floor when you feel the pain getting bad - you'll feel the effects.

17. Get a CBD supplement

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CBD certainly isn't for everyone, but if you want to give the supplement a go, it can have a big impact on your period cramps. To make it easy, you can add CBD oil into a glass of water or even a cup of tea, or try rubbing CBD-oil product on your abdomen for more direct relief.

18. Go for a walk

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As well as helping improve your overall health and wellbeing, a quick walk can also reduce period pain. Even light exercise can release endorphins that improve your mood and relieve pain, so if your pain levels allow it, try to get out even for just 15-20 minutes. Note: your endorphin levels will spike higher if you have a cute dog to walk, too!

19. Stop drinking coffee

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We know, we know - it's sacrilegious to cut out caffeine. however, in the case of period pain, it could be exactly what your body needs. Caffeine can cause your blood vessels to tighten, which isn't what you want when you have abdominal pain - you want as much blood flow as possible to relieve the pain. So, instead of reaching for a latte, try a herbal tea instead.

20. Add more omega-3 into your diet

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Most of us are probably getting enough omega-3 into our diet anyway, but if you suffer from debilitating period cramps, you might want to watch your intake. Omega-3 has naturally anti-inflammatory properties, so upping your intake during your period can help reduce pain naturally. If you don't like fish (or are vegan) maybe take an omega-3 supplement every day.

21. Self-massage your abdomen

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You don't have to go for an expensive massage to see some pain-relieving effects. If you don't mind teaching yourself, it's possible to self-massage your abdomen for period pain relief! There are plenty of YouTube tutorials, and you'll see better effects if you incorporate essential oils into your routine.

22. Stop reaching for treats

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Sorry, but this is another one that might be hard to stomach. But if you want to see relief from period pain, you might want to stop snacking on sugary things so much. Eating too much sugar can cause inflammation in the body, making your cramps even worse - so try some fruit instead of a bar of chocolate.

23. Avoid stressful situations (if possible!)

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Stress can have all kinds of nasty effects on your body, so if you want to reduce your period pains, it might be helpful to avoid any really stressful situations. If your work stresses you out, see if your boss will let you take sick days during your period, or try to introduce some stress-relief practice to your day like mindfulness or yoga to keep your stress levels down.

24. Up your magnesium levels

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Studies have shown that magnesium is really great at easing period cramp pain, especially if you suffer from really bad cramps. Magnesium is easy to find in foods, so it'll just be a case of changing your diet slightly during your period: try eating more almonds, spinach, yoghurt, and peanut butter (which would make for a great pain-relief smoothie!)

25. Opt for vegetarian meals

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Sorry carnivores, but all that meat you're eating could be making your cramps worse. A vegetarian or vegan diet is shown to reduce levels of inflammation in the body, which means that it might help your pain levels to switch to veggie meals during your period. If you can't manage that, try to at least cut down the amount of meat you're eating, especially if you suffer from really bad period pain.

26. Cut out salt

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Do you find yourself reaching for the salt dispenser during every single meal? Maybe try and stop to reduce your period cramps. Limiting how much salt you eat is good for your entire body, but it'll also increase your fluid retention and worsen uterine cramps. Try cutting down during your period at first, and if that doesn't help much, reduce your intake every month.

27. Have a cup of cinnamon tea

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There are lots of herbal teas that are great for reducing period symptoms, including peppermint tea and chamomile tea. However, another one that you might not know of is cinnamon tea. A natural cinnamon tea can reduce nausea and the severity of cramps, as well as reducing the the heaviness of your flow.

28. Get your feet toasty and warm

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It's a weird one, but if it works then it works, right? Some women have found that keeping their feet warm during their period actually offers some relief from symptoms. Whether it's a case of distracting the brain from the source of the pain or just acting on some acupuncture points, we don't know, but maybe invest in a foot bath during your next period.

29. Get a TENS machine

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It's not ultra-natural, but it can keep you off the over-the-counter medicine. A TENS machine works by delivering tiny electrical pulses to specific parts of your body, which can give you a boost of endorphins and deliver some local pain relief. There are lots of brands that produce specific TENS machines for period pain today, so maybe check them out if you really struggle with cramps.

30. Eat oregano

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You probably add oregano to your Italian pasta dishes all the time, but it can also be helpful in reducing period pain. This is because oregano is a emmenagogue, meaning it can sort out irregular and heavy periods. So, try taking oregano oil as a supplement during your period (you could add it to water or a herbal tea), or even just try buying some fresh oregano leaves for your next pasta or pizza night.