Regulating the Autonomic Nervous System: How to Spend Your PMS Period [With Checklist] | Ways to Ease Irritability and Lethargy 🌕 Listen to 'Mixing the Sea' 🎶

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This post is for women.
Women face their inner selves every month, no, every single day.

When I was younger, I was always
at war with my own mind and body.

While men may have their own external battles, such as work performance and dealing with others,
please understand that women experience monthly physical and mental changes, and watch over them gently.

In my case, before my period, I would have mysterious coughing fits and hives would spread.
(They have settled down now)

For a long time, I thought I had
a body that was weak against stress.

But that wasn't the case.

The PMS period is a time when the autonomic nervous system and immune system
tend to become unstable due to fluctuations in female hormones.

When irregular lifestyle habits are added to that,
the body exceeds its limits.

I hope that by reading this to the end,
you will be able to spend your time a little more comfortably.

Although this content is for women,
men, please feel free to use this as a reference
for your partners.

If reading is too much for you right now,
just listen to today's recommended song.

Please jump to it from the table of contents 🎶
⬇️

🔶 What is PMS?

Premenstrual Syndrome

Fluctuations in mind and body that occur
before menstruation (3 to 10 days prior).

Main symptoms

・Irritability, mood swings
・Drowsiness, lethargy
・Headaches, abdominal pain, breast tenderness
・Changes in appetite

👉 Common discomforts experienced by many people

🔶 What is PMDD?

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

A state where psychological symptoms are stronger than in PMS

Main symptoms

・Severe depression, anxiety
・Difficulty controlling anger
・Uncontrollable crying
・Impacts on relationships and daily life

👉 Characterized by a level that interferes with daily life

🔶 Differences between PMS and PMDD

・PMS → Wide range of discomforts (mild to moderate)
・PMDD → Strong and severe psychological distress

🫧 Causes

Because the balance between the brain and body
is temporarily disrupted by hormonal fluctuations

🌙 Tips for Coping

・Know your cycle (predict it)
・Postpone important decisions
・Take care of your body (sleep, diet, keeping warm)
・Reduce stimulation (schedules, social media)
・Seek medical help when it's tough

🌙 Important Things to Remember

This is not 'all in your head' or a 'personality trait',
but a natural reaction to your body's rhythm.

Gently regulating yourself is the best shortcut.🌿

🔶 The Relationship Between PMS and Immunity from a Medical Perspective

Before your period, progesterone (luteal hormone) increases.

During this period:

・Body temperature rises
・Water retention is more likely
・Blood flow is more likely to stagnate
・The autonomic nervous system is more likely to become unbalanced

Furthermore, when stress is added,
cortisol (the stress hormone) increases,

✔ Overreaction of the immune system
✔ Increase in inflammatory reactions
✔ Worsening of allergy symptoms

become more likely to occur.

Hives or coughing
may be 'inflammation signs' of that.

🔶 Improvement Checklist (Constitutional Improvement Edition)

Please read through this while checking off the ones that apply to you.

[Sleep Checklist]

□ Often sleep less than 6 hours
□ Look at your smartphone right until you go to sleep
□ Still feel tired even after sleeping

▶ Improvement Measures
・Get into bed by 11:00 PM
・Put your smartphone away 1 hour before bed
・Sleep 30 minutes earlier during your PMS period

Sleep is the time for immune recovery.

[Blood Flow Checklist]

□ Hands and feet feel cold
□ Severe stiff shoulders
□ Prone to swelling
□ Only take showers

▶ Improvement Measures
・Bathe for 15 minutes at 38–40°C
・Drink warm beverages
・Walk for 15 minutes a day
・Raise and lower your heels 20 times

When blood flow improves, the autonomic nervous system also stabilizes.

[Diet Checklist]

□ Sometimes skip breakfast
□ Frequently eat sweets
□ Low protein intake
□ Hardly consume fermented foods

▶ Improvement Measures
・Miso soup once a day
・Be conscious of eggs and soy products
・Be conscious of iron (red meat, spinach)
・Set a limit on the amount of sweets

The intestinal environment accounts for about 70% of immunity.

[Stress/Thinking Checklist]

□ Saying "I have to do this properly" is a habit
□ Pack your schedule even during your PMS period
□ Feel guilty when resting

▶ Improvement Measures
・Make your PMS period a "defensive week"
・Reduce your schedule by 20%
・Say the words, "I did enough today"

Chronic tension constricts blood vessels and disrupts blood flow and immunity.

🔶 My Changes

It wasn't that I changed everything all at once, but

・Not cutting back on sleep
・Soaking in the bathtub
・Not pushing myself during the PMS period

By continuing these things,

the frequency of my hives decreased,
and my coughs stopped lingering.

It wasn't just about my 'state of mind,' but because I strengthened the foundation of my body.

🌙 Main Treatments for PMS/PMDD
(I was undergoing treatment before pregnancy and childbirth)

There are three main approaches 🫧


Regulating the body's rhythm,
regulating brain function,
or supporting both.

I looked into it.

① Herbal Medicine (Gentle regulation)

Gently adjusting constitution and balance

Commonly used ones

・Kamishoyosan
→ For irritability, anxiety, and mood swings

・Tokishakuyakusan
→ For cold sensitivity, swelling, and anemia types

・Keishibukuryogan
→ For improving blood circulation and those prone to hot flashes

② Low-dose birth control pills (Regulating hormones)

Suppressing ovulation to stabilize hormonal fluctuations

Typical examples

・Yaz
・Yaz Flex

👉 Often used as a treatment for PMS/PMDD

👉 Think of it as smoothing out the 'rollercoaster' feeling before your period🎢

③ Psychiatric medications (to regulate brain function)

Particularly effective for PMDD

Mainly used are

・SSRIs (antidepressants)

Examples:
・Fluvoxamine
・Sertraline

👉 Regulates serotonin (a substance involved in emotional stability)
👉 There is also a method of taking them only before your period

🌙 Which one to choose?

Here is a rough guide

・Mainly physical discomfort → Herbal medicine or birth control pills
・Strong emotional swings → SSRIs
・Both → Sometimes a combination is used

🌿 Important things

This is not something you have to 'endure and get through',
but something that can be adjusted.

Medication is not a 'proof of weakness',
but a tool to protect yourself🫧

*Please be sure to consult with a specialist doctor or pharmacist before taking any medication.

🔶 Summary

During the PMS/PMDD period,
estrogen and progesterone levels in the body fluctuate rapidly,
making the autonomic nervous system prone to imbalance, and causing blood flow and immune responses to become unstable.

Changes in female hormones also affect serotonin in the brain.

Therefore, feeling down, anxious, or irritable is a natural reaction.

Not being able to do things 'as usual' is proof that your body is functioning normally.

Even so, I used to push myself, trying to do things properly and covering it up with a smile.

Every time I did, my body would stop me.

In the form of a cough or hives.

The body acts as a brake.
It was letting me know before I broke down.

Symptoms that worsen with PMS or PMDD are not signs of weakness, but signals from your body.

Even if you only focus on your mental state,
it is difficult to achieve fundamental improvement if your lifestyle habits are disordered.

Improving your constitution means:

✔ Sleep
✔ Blood flow
✔ Diet
✔ Relaxing tension

It is the accumulation of these four things.

🔶 In Conclusion

If you are currently feeling unwell before your period,
first, try choosing just one thing from the checklist
that you can do.

Changes in your body are not your enemy;
they are simply trying to protect you.

Because there are days when the moon wanes, there will also be days when it waxes.

During your PMS period, do not fight anything.

🌿 Bonus... Not fighting means things like this

✔ Reduce your schedule a little
✔ Delay your replies
✔ Get into bed early
✔ Drink a warm beverage
✔ Cut back on caffeine
✔ Decide that 'today is for self-preservation'

The courage not to push yourselfnurtures your resilience.

During your PMS period, rather than 'going on the offensive',focus on 'warmth and maintenance'.
It is a period for body maintenance.

I hope this article serves as a reference for your lifestyle.

Thank you for reading until the end ♡

🎧Today's Recommendation🎶

'[LIVE] Mixing the Sea V'

Michiko Miroco x Ikuko Harada x haruka nakamura

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