Almost every woman hates the cramps and awkwardness that occur with most periods. However, a few bad habits can turn this minor inconvenience into a truly life-threatening event. During periods your body is especially vulnerable to infections and other health issues. You should be careful to avoid doing these nine things during periods because they can be quite dangerous.
Increasing Your Stress Levels
High amounts of pain cause an increase in cortisol, the hormone associated with stress. High cortisol levels increase your risk of insomnia related accidents, high blood pressure, and even strokes. Therefore, you should avoid doing any other painful items, like getting a wax, during your period. This can cause excessively high-stress levels that can be dangerous.
Not Eating or Drinking
It is natural to avoid food when you feel sick and crampy, but it is not wise. Women are more likely to become malnourished or dehydrated during their period. This occurs because they lose so much fluid and blood during menstruation. Even if you feel bad, you still need to eat. Dehydration also makes cramps worse, so you should try to drink enough water.
Making Love Without Protection
Because you are not ovulating during your period, many women assume it is fine to have unprotected lovemaking. Though pregnancy chances are lower, it is still possible for a woman to become pregnant. The risk of catching an STD is even higher during the period. Therefore, you should always use protection while lovemaking.
Wearing Pads for Too Long
Many women make the mistake of thinking it is ok to wear the same pad for up to 10 hours. However, the warm, moist environment of pads tends to encourage bacterial growth. This can lead to dangerous infections in the reproductive and urinary systems. Follow the instructions on the package to avoid wearing a pad for too long.
Exposure to Depressing Events
Hormones have a big impact on women’s moods, and your psychological health is just as important as your physical health. The dip in hormones right at the start of a period enhances depression symptoms. You should try to avoid sad movies, and upsetting books or tv shows during periods. This will help you to stay positive instead of enhancing sorrow.
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Exercising Too Much
Light exercise before a period can reduce a woman’s cramps during bleeding times. However, a woman’s body is already under so much stress during her period. A team of Australian researchers found that women were more likely to have exercising injuries on their periods. This happens because the hips, knees, and legs tend to move differently during this time of the month.
Not Changing Tampons
Leaving a tampon for too long can result in a rare condition called toxic shock syndrome. This happens when bacteria grow on the tampon and enter a woman’s bloodstream. TSS is the most common cause of death directly related to periods. This condition causes seizures, headaches, and extreme fevers. Therefore, it is absolutely essential to never wear a tampon for longer than eight hours. Super absorbent tampons also make TSS more likely, so they should be avoided.
Eating Dairy Products
Any food product that contains dairy also contains arachidonic acids. These compounds can make menstrual cramps much worse during a period. If you eat a lot of ice cream and other dairy products on your period, it can increase cramping. Since cramps cause so many health issues, you should try to lower dairy intake during menstruation.
READ ALSO: 10 Phrases You Should Never Say To Your Girlfriend On Her Period
Not Worrying About Irregularity
Plenty of women assume that it is normal to have extreme pain and bleeding in their period. It is also common for women to dismiss an abnormal cycle length. However, these are all signs of much more serious issues. You should talk to your doctor promptly instead of ignoring these problems. They could be a sign of endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome. These conditions can eventually cause infertility or heart problems if left untreated.
Simple changes can make a huge difference to your health during your period. By being cautious and practicing good hygiene, you can avoid serious problems. Unfortunately, there may not be any way to avoid the annoyance of having a period. However, smart women can at least avoid risking their life during this time of the month.
