This is Why You Shouldn’t Drink During Your Period

Cramps, bad mood, etc.: No wonder that women like to have a glass of wine to relax during their period. But that could do more harm than good!

Granted: We HATE the searing discomfort associated with menstruation every month. One woman has such severe stomach cramps that she can hardly walk anymore, the second feels disintegrated with the world and wants to crawl away in bed crying and the third empties the whole fridge in a fit of ravenous hunger.

Although there are plenty of tried and tested household remedies for the symptoms, you should avoid using one of the most popular ones in the future: alcohol. Although alcohol can make the pain less noticeable in the short term, it can cause a whole new set of problems.

That’s What Alcohol Does to Your Rule

The following can happen if you resort to alcohol during your menstruation:

1. Headaches, Muscle Cramps and Digestive Disorders

Magnesium is extremely important for the body – and a deficiency can lead to the above-mentioned complaints. Alcohol, on the other hand, is a real magnesium killer and drives the mirror into the abyss. It takes time until it is balanced again. By then, the stomach cramps of the period are probably already behind you, but you bite the pillow at night because you now have leg cramps.

2. Your Cycle Shifts

So far, you’ve always gotten your period exactly on time? That could change if you drank alcohol at the same time. This is because alcohol affects testosterone and oestrogen levels and can not only delay your cycle, but also change the length of your period.

3. You Get Stronger Abdominal Pain

Alcohol has the annoying property of depriving the body of water – this is also one of the reasons why we have a hangover in the morning after partying all night. A lack of fluids can cause not only the classic headaches but also abdominal pain. Nobody really wants this in combination with the general menstrual cramps in the stomach!

Alcohol is not a Good Idea for PMS Either

And as if all this weren’t enough, we shouldn’t resort to alcohol even in the days leading up to PMS, that is, while we’re struggling with PMS. Because alcohol can make all the classic symptoms worse, from mood swings to firm breasts.

And Then What Helps?

In the case of classic menstrual cramps, hot-water bottles are particularly helpful against abdominal pain and light (!) movement to distract, for example a walk. But nutrition can also play a role: Make sure you get enough magnesium to avoid cramps. Magnesium is found, for example, in wholemeal rice and nuts.