53 Period Self Care Ideas: What To Do On Your Period At Home

This post includes 53 ideas for what to do on your period at home. It’s filled with helpful information to better understand your cycle and period self care ideas.

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Every month, I’m back on the rollercoaster of my menstrual cycle. It’s a journey fraught with ups and downs and even after over 15 years of cycles, it still leaves me surprised and confused each month.

Like most women, my cycle plays a huge role in my overall energy levels, cravings, moods, and general outlook on life. 

Over the years, I’ve learned more and more about period self care and now feel like I have a bit of a grasp on the whole thing. 

So I’m sharing all my tips on what to do on your period at home: from what to eat, what to avoid, how to move your body, and self care ideas.

Every woman’s experience is different so this should just serve as a jumping off point for creating your perfect routine. But hopefully it can serve as a bit of a guide to how to feel better when you’re on your period. 

Table of Contents

Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle

First things first, we need to discuss the basics: your menstrual cycle. Most of us were taught about the four phases of our cycle in some form of health class or sex education but how much did we really retain? Let’s do a quick refresher. 

There are four phases that make up your cycle. On average the complete cycle lasts about 28 days. During each phase your body produces different levels of different hormones to prepare the body for the potential of becoming pregnant.

These hormones can impact all kinds of things from our energy levels to our mood, and more. 

Let’s dive into the four phases:

1. Menstrual Phase (days 1-5): We all know this one. This is your actual period, when your uterine lining sheds. This phase is often accompanied by cramps, fatigue, and moodiness. Estrogen and progesterone are typically at their lowest.
2. Follicular Phase (days 1-13): This period lasts from the end of your period until ovulation. Your uterus builds up that inner lining again and prepares for an egg to drop from your ovaries. Estrogen continues to rise during this phase and you may find that you feel happier and more energized. 
3. Ovulation Phase (day 14): Your ovulation phase is normally quite short. It marks when your ovary releases an egg into the fallopian tubes. A spike in luteinizing hormone is what causes the egg to release and is followed by a sharp drop in estrogen. Most women don’t notice that they feel significantly different during this phase.
4. Luteal Phase (days 15-28): During the final phase of your cycle, progesterone rises to support early pregnancy. But if the egg is not fertilized, progesterone levels will quickly drop which is associated with PMS symptoms like mood changes, achiness, bloating and more. 

Your Mentstation Super Powers

While your period often comes with all kinds of unpleasant symptoms and challenges, it also brings in a host of benefits. Let’s call them your super powers.  Embracing these strengths can help bring some positivity to this time of month in surprising ways.

Heightened Intuition: During their period, many women describe a sense of heightened intuition. As if their body and mind are more aligned, offering deeper self-awareness and insights into relationships. 

Emotional Connection: Our elevated emotional sensitivity, though sometimes overwhelming, allows for deeper empathy, making our interactions with others more profound.  

Creativity: Your menstrual phase can be a fertile ground for creativity. Writing, painting, and brainstorming are all great activities to do on your period because your imagination is just that little bit higher. 

What To Do On Your Period At Home

If you’re looking for ideas for how to feel better when you’re on your period, you’re in the right place. We’ll break down your period into four subphases that can give you tips for what to eat, what to avoid, how to move your body, different mindfulness practices, how to manage pain, and self care activities. 

Leading Up To Your Period

In the couple of days leading up to your period, you might feel the onslaught of PMS symptoms starting to hit. You might feel tired, moody, bloated or all three. During this time it’s important to be gentle with yourself. Here are some ideas for period self care.

What to Eat & Drink

• Eat foods rich in magnesium like spinach, nuts, chocolate, pumpkin seeds, and bananas.
• Also look out for things high in B6 (avocado, eggs, sunflower seeds). They can help your energy levels.
• Drink relaxing herbal teas such as chamomile and peppermint. 

What to Avoid

• Excess caffeine can actually slow the flow of blood which can make your period more uncomfortable. 
• Try to avoid sugary and highly-processed foods which can lead to blood sugar crashes. These can further enhance your feelings of moodiness. 
• If you’re feeling bloated, be mindful of your salt intake. 

How to Move (if you’re feeling up for it)

• Gentle activity can actually help with pain management (study). Try yoga, stretching or a walk in nature.

Mindfulness Practices

• Try a guided meditation focused on grounding. 
• Take some time to do some gratitude journaling. 

Self Care Activities

• Spend additional time engaging in your hobbies.
• Listen to a soothing playlist or podcast to further enhance relaxation.

On Your Heavy Days

Heavy period days can be particularly challenging, not only are you dealing with an increased flow, you also may experience cramps and emotional sensitivity. It’s most important to check in with your body and do what feels right for you. Here are some of ideas for what to do on your period at home.

What to Eat & Drink

• Look for iron-rich foods like spinach, lentils, and meat (if you eat it)
• Foods with omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation in the body. Some foods high in omega-3s are salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds. 
• Increase your water intake and ensure you stay hydrated to alleviate any pain associated with bloating.

What to Avoid

• You may want to continue to avoid large amounts of caffeine and overly salty foods.
• Some women have found that dairy can make cramps worse. Test it out yourself and see how you feel.

How to Move (if you’re feeling up for it)

• We all know that working out with a heavy flow has all kinds of challenges. Do what feels right for you. Take some rest days if you need them.
• If you’re up for it, try Yin Yoga, a light walk, or gentle stretches.

Mindfulness Practices

• Now’s the time to practice some deep breathing exercises to relax your mind and body. 
• You can also look for visualization meditation that will help you relax and escape into a place of peace and calm.

Self Care Activities

• Take a warm bath with epsom salts and lavender essential oil to relax your muscles and soothe cramps. 
• Try using a heating pad on your lower abdomen to reduce cramping. Pair it with a relaxing cup of tea and a good book. 
• Give yourself an abdominal massage with calming body oil to alleviate tension and pain.

On Days With Severe Cramps

Severe cramps can be totally debilitating and it may be ambitious to try to even make any plans for period self care. However, if you’re feeling up for it, there are a couple of things to do that may actually help alleviate the discomfort and pain. Here are some ideas for period self care.

What to Eat & Drink

• Double down on magnesium rich foods like dark chocolate, beans, and almonds.
• Keep a cup of herbal tea nearby. We suggest chamomile, ginger and turmeric. 
• Incorporate more inflammation fighting foods like berries and leafy greens. 

What to Avoid

• Avoid foods high in refined sugars which can lead to more painful cramps and mood swings. 
• Steer clear of anything that could lead to more bloating like fried foods and carbonated drinks. 

How to Move (if you’re feeling up for it)

• Try doing some pelvis tilts. This exercise can provide some relief from cramps.
• Lying down on your back, slowly lift and lower your legs. It can help increase blood flow in your abdomen to reduce cramping. 

Mindfulness Practices

• Have you tried Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)? It’s a stress relief activity where you tense and slowly release each muscle group. You can learn more here. 
• Meditation stories, also bedtime tales, are relaxing stories read in a calm slow voice. They are very peaceful and can help you escape to other worlds.

Self Care Activities

• Some call it a bath, some call it hydrotherapy. See if soaking in warm water helps to alleviate pain. 
• Why not add in the power of aromatherapy? Eucalyptus and peppermint as know to be soothing when applied to the skin or inhaled. 

On Your Light Days

Thank goodness for the lighter days! For most women, when their flow is lighter, so are their other symptoms. On these days be listen to your body but experiment with adding more activity in as well. We’ve provided you with some ideas for what to do on your period at home.

What to Eat & Drink

• Focus on fiber. Foods rich in fiber help maintain digestive health, which can get a little out of whack this time of month. 
• Incorporate more calcium. Foods like yogurt, broccoli, and leafy greens can support muscle function and mood stabilization. 

What to Avoid

• If you’re feeling fine, you can eat your normal diet. Nothing you need to avoid in particular. 

How to Move (if you’re feeling up for it)

• Activities that get your heart rate up like jogging and dancing can release endorphins and boost your mood. 
• Pilates is a great low-impact form of exercise that you might enjoy while on your period. 

Mindfulness Practices

• Try doing some positive morning affirmations to set the tone for how to talk to yourself all day long. 
• With creativity levels surging, spend some time making a vision board. 

Self Care Activities

• You all-in on a pamper night and treat yourself to all the at home spa treatments you can think of. 
• Spend some time journaling and reflecting on the past few days of your period. Are there any unprocessed emotions that need to be worked through? Any epiphonies or illuminated truths? Check out these journal prompts for self love.

After Your Period

The days after your period may come with a sense of relief and renewal. As the body enters the follicular phase, your energy levels will begin to rise. It’s a great time to set intentions and prepare for the month ahead. Here are some ideas for what to do on your period at home.

What to Eat & Drink

• Focus on consuming enough protein to rebuild and replenish energy. 
• Aim for foods high in zinc like pumpkin seeds, cashews, and chickpeas. They support a healthy immune system.

What to Avoid

• If your stomach is still feeling a little off from your period, avoid super spicy or greasy foods which can further upset your digestion. 
• Excessive alcohol during this time of month has the potential to disrupt your natural hormone cycle. 

How to Move (if you’re feeling up for it)

• With energy levels rising, you can kick it up a notch. Try cardio workouts like running or spinning. 
• If strength training is more your speed, try a weight lifting working or a kettlebell circuit. 

Mindfulness Practices

• Now is a great time to look at the month ahead and spend some time setting intentions and goals. 
• You can also engage in body scan meditations to get back in sync with your body and increase your awareness for the month ahead.

Self Care Activities

• If you’ve spent the last couple of days resting during period, make some plans to socialize. Reconnect with family and friends. 
• Get out of the house and engage with the world around you. Go on a solo date to a museum, restaurant, or movie. 

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Firstly, I hope that some of these period self care ideas can offer you comfort even on the worst of days. 

It’s hard to know what to do on your period at home when you’re dealing with pain and emotional sensitivity but hopefully this list of things to do on your period can offer some guidance. 

Let us know which of these tips on how to feel better when you’re on your period was the most helpful. 

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Posted By: Victoria · In: self-care