9 Signs Your Period is Coming: Early Symptoms & How to Prepare

List of 9 Common Signs Your Period Is Coming

Women usually notice subtle body changes about one to two weeks before their period starts. These early warning signs, known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS), show up in 90% of women during their reproductive years. Being aware of these signs can help you prepare both mentally and physically for your upcoming period.

Let's look at nine common signs that tell you your period is on its way:

1. Acne Breakouts

Those annoying pimples that show up before your period aren't random. These period-related pimples, called cyclical acne, usually appear around your chin and jawline.

Research shows that acne gets worse for more than half of all women the week before their period. This happens because progesterone levels go up before your period, making your skin produce more oil.

2. Breast Tenderness

Your breasts might feel sore or look bigger right before your period. This common symptom, called cyclical breast pain, starts after ovulation and lasts until a few days after your period begins.

Hormone changes cause this discomfort. Oestrogen makes breast ducts larger, while progesterone causes milk glands to swell, which creates that tender, uncomfortable feeling. The good news is that this tenderness goes away once your period starts.

3. Fatigue and Sleep Issues

The extreme tiredness you feel comes from your body changing gears from a possible pregnancy to menstruation. You feel tired because hormone levels drop.

Your sleep patterns can get disrupted too, which creates an endless cycle of tiredness. Oestrogen and progesterone changes can raise your body temperature while you sleep, making it harder to rest well. Your body sleeps better when core temperature drops, so these hormone shifts can really drain your energy.

4. Menstrual Cramps

Lower abdominal cramps are the most common period complaint. Unlike other signs that start one to two weeks before and end when bleeding begins, cramps usually show up right before your period and last two to three days. The contracting muscles sometimes create pain that spreads to your lower back and upper thighs.

5. Digestive Changes

Your bathroom habits often change before your period as hormones affect your digestive system. You might get either constipated or have diarrhoea.

Higher progesterone levels can relax your muscles, which might slow down bowel movements and cause constipation. The same prostaglandins that cause uterine contractions can affect nearby bowel muscles, sometimes leading to diarrhoea.

6. Bloating and Water Retention

That heavy, swollen feeling in your abdomen signals your period is coming. Bloating happens because of hormone changes — high progesterone levels can slow your digestion, which adds to that uncomfortable fullness.

Your body holds onto more water and salt than usual because of changes in oestrogen and progesterone levels. This water retention might also link to food choices around your period, as many women want saltier or sweeter foods during this time.

7. Headaches and Migraines

Many women get headaches like clockwork before their periods begin. Changing oestrogen levels usually causes these pre-period headaches.

People who already get migraines often notice they happen more often before their period. 

8. Mood Swings and Emotional Changes

The hormone shifts that cause physical symptoms can affect your emotions, too. You might experience:

• Irritability

• Sadness

• Anxiety

• Anger

• Crying spells

• Trouble concentrating

These emotional changes happen because oestrogen levels, which make you feel good during ovulation, drop sharply by the end of your cycle. 

9. Changes in Vaginal Discharge

Your discharge patterns change throughout your cycle and can tell you where you are in your menstrual phases. Just before your period, you'll usually see either no discharge or a sticky consistency.

This looks very different from mid-cycle (ovulation) discharge, which has a slippery, egg white-like texture that helps conception. The drier discharge before your period shows your body's least fertile time.

How Soon Do These Signs Appear?

Most women start noticing these physical and emotional changes about one to two weeks before their menstrual period begins. The timing and intensity of symptoms vary greatly among different women. Some might get multiple symptoms at once, while others might notice just one or two signs that their period is coming.

The Hormonal Orchestra Behind Your Symptoms

Seven key hormones lead the symphony of your menstrual cycle:

• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)

• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

• Luteinising hormone (LH)

• Oestrogen

• Progesterone

• Testosterone

• Inhibin

Normal menstrual cycles happen when these hormones work together. All the same, the ups and downs create those telling pre-period symptoms.

How to Manage PMS Symptoms

Many women handle their premenstrual syndrome (PMS) by tweaking their daily habits. 

You'll find plenty of ways to ease those telltale signs your period is approaching.

Lifestyle Changes: Your First Line of Defence

• Regular exercise: A 30-minute moderate workout like walking, cycling, or swimming most days can boost your mood and energy levels. 

• Food choices: Eating small portions every 2-3 hours works better than three big meals. This helps you avoid bloating and that stuffed feeling many women get before their period. Your pre-period diet should focus on:

• Less salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol

• Foods rich in complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables and whole grains

• Calcium-rich foods in your meals

• Leafy greens, legumes and healthy fats like omega-3s

• Sleep: Sleep quality often drops right before your period starts. Getting an extra hour of rest each night during this time helps. Good rest makes it easier to handle physical discomfort and mood swings that come with PMS.

• Relaxation techniques: Yoga, meditation, muscle relaxation, and deep breathing can reduce headaches, anxiety, and sleep problems. A warm bath or quiet reading time might give you the peace your body needs.

Medications That Provide Relief

• Over-the-counter pain relievers help many women quickly. 

• Birth control pills might help women with stronger symptoms. 

• SSRIs can help women struggling mainly with mood changes. 

• Water pills like spironolactone help reduce bloating and breast tenderness. 

Conclusion 

Learning your body's signals before your period helps you prepare better for monthly changes. Your ability to spot patterns like acne flare-ups, tender breasts, exhaustion, cramps, tummy troubles, water retention, headaches, mood changes, and discharge variations gives you better control of your menstrual health.

These physical and emotional changes occur due to hormonal fluctuations. Your body performs an intricate dance of chemical messengers each month that causes familiar symptoms as your period approaches.

Your personal experience is unique. Most women notice some signs before their period, but symptoms vary in timing, severity, and combination. Tracking these patterns helps you predict changes and manage them effectively.

Self-care works well for most pre-period discomfort, but severe symptoms need medical attention. Listen to your body – any persistent problems that affect your daily life need professional evaluation and specific treatment.

FAQs

1. How many days before your period do symptoms start?

Your body starts showing premenstrual signs about one to two weeks before your period begins. The timeline varies from person to person. Some notice changes two weeks before bleeding starts, while others feel them just days before.

2. Is it normal to feel emotional before your period?

Yes. Nine out of ten women notice mood changes before their period. These emotional shifts stem from real biological changes—they're not in your head, and you shouldn't feel bad about them.

 These mood swings happen because your oestrogen levels drop by the end of your cycle. Changes in serotonin (your brain's mood chemical) can lead to premenstrual depression, tiredness, food cravings and sleep issues.

3. Can you have PMS symptoms but not get your period?

This happens more often than you'd expect. Here's what might cause period symptoms without bleeding:

Early pregnancy looks a lot like PMS. Both share symptoms like breast tenderness, cramping, tiredness, headaches, and mood swings. 

Hormonal birth control – Your monthly cycle might change with birth control pills, patches, rings, or IUDs. You might not bleed, but still feel other symptoms. 

Anovulation – Your body sometimes skips releasing an egg. You'll feel period symptoms but won't bleed. 

Other causes include:

• High stress levels

• Major diet changes

• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

• Thyroid conditions

• Approaching menopause

4. How do I know if it's PMS or something else?

Real PMS follows a pattern—symptoms appear after ovulation, peak before your period, and fade when bleeding starts or soon after.

Other conditions can look like PMS, including endometriosis, uterine polyps, thyroid problems, and pelvic inflammatory disease. A doctor can tell if your symptoms come from normal hormone changes or need more investigation.

5. What can help relieve PMS symptoms naturally?

Natural remedies and lifestyle changes help many women manage PMS:

Diet changes make a big difference:

• Drink more water to fight bloating

• Eat small meals throughout the day instead of three big ones

• Pick complex carbs like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

• Cut back on salt, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol

• Add calcium-rich foods to your meals

Exercise helps both body and mind. 

Yoga works wonders for many women.

Stress management really helps during PMS

Good sleep (7-9 hours each night)