Woman who is about to come onto her period, struggling with fatigue and pain

Extreme Fatigue Before Your Period: Understanding Pre-Menstrual Exhaustion

April 26, 2024

It’s coming up to THAT time of month again when, out of the blue, fatigue hits you hard and knocks you sideways. You’re not alone: a staggering 49% of women are affected by dreaded period fatigue.

Have you ever wondered why you suffer from extreme fatigue before your period? While it’s the norm for many and a common symptom of premenstrual syndrome, extreme tiredness that lasts longer than a few days and disrupts your daily routine could be a cause for concern and should be addressed. Keep reading to find out why this happens and, most importantly, how lifestyle changes can minimise its impact on your life, such as supplementing with Novomins Women’s Health Gummies

Why are you so tired before your period?

You may be wondering why you feel so tired right before your period. Or perhaps even 3 or 5 days before.

That feeling of wanting to curl up for a much-needed snooze under a blanket before your period is completely normal. Your body is dealing with a lot, including hormonal fluctuations and PMS symptoms like breast tenderness, headaches, a bloated or delicate stomach, and feeling anxious or irritable.

Even without a period, all of these factors can cause you to feel more sluggish than usual.

Before entering your menses phase (the start of your period), your. oestrogen levels, which usually act as a stimulant, take a dip. This causes the brain to release another hormone called norepinephrine, which causes other hormones, like dopamine and acetylcholine, to decrease.

The result? Extreme fatigue the week before your period.

If that wasn't enough, serotonin (the feel-good brain chemical) also drops, depriving you of its mood-boosting benefits.

Combine everything, and it's enough to make anyone crawl into bed. However, that doesn't necessarily guarantee you'll feel more energised, with hormonal and neurotransmitter changes commonly triggering sleep problems.

Period fatigue is also more common in the winter. The short days, long nights and plummeting temperatures can make you feel more lethargic. Additionally, they can increase period pain by causing blood vessels to compress and interfere with blood flow.

It's not all gloom and doom, though. As your hormone levels gradually stabilise, your energy levels should bounce back to normal within a few days.

Is extreme fatigue before your period normal?

You may be wondering if it’s normal to feel tired just before your period.

Fatigue before a period is common for many women, and for some women, pre-period fatigue can last longer and be more extreme. If you find that you’re so tired you’re unable to work, carry out basic tasks and simply get through the day, this might be a sign of an underlying health issue.

What causes fatigue before a period?

Common causes for extreme period fatigue include:

Thyroid problems

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that produces hormones that regulate your body’s metabolism, body temperature and growth.

Essential to the reproductive system, as well as other bodily functions, when the thyroid is over or underactive, it can lead to symptoms such as severe exhaustion before your period that can impact your quality of life.

If you’re experiencing extreme fatigue the week before or during your period, you might have hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid ).

This is when the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones, triggering changes in the menstrual cycle.

Common hypothyroidism symptoms include irregular periods, prolonged menstrual cycles with heavy bleeding, weight gain and depression.

If you suspect you have a thyroid problem, make an appointment with your local GP. They’ll take a blood test to measure your hormone levels and carry out a thyroid function test. Treatment usually involves lifelong daily hormone replacement tablets to rebalance the hormone levels in your body.

Premenstrual syndrome

Period fatigue is a classic symptom of premenstrual syndrome and is incredibly common, with three out of every four women experiencing this condition in some form or another.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) encompasses the symptoms women may experience before their period. While the severity of these symptoms, including extreme fatigue the day before a period, varies from person to person, they can disrupt daily life and result in physical pain and poor mental health.

The exact cause of PMS is unknown. However, studies point to hormonal changes, such as fluctuations of serotonin, which are thought to contribute to premenstrual depression, sleep problems and fatigue.

If you're suffering from extreme fatigue, visiting your local GP is recommended. They'll be able to recommend treatments like dietary supplements, hormonal medicine, CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) and antidepressants, as well as natural lifestyle changes that you might benefit from.

Iron deficiency

1 in 3 women suffer from heavy bleeding, also known as menorrhagia, which causes them to feel tired. Periods are one of the most common causes of iron loss, and women who bleed heavily are more likely to develop iron deficiency anaemia.

Research has shown that healthy women with regular menstruation lose around 2 mg of iron per day, while those with heavy bleeding lose, on average, up to five to six times more.

Low iron levels mean the body can't produce haemoglobin, which red blood cells require to transport oxygen around the body. This results in tiredness, weakness and fatigue.

Consider boosting your energy and replenishing your iron levels with delicious Novomins Iron Gummies made with natural, high-quality ingredients.

Other causes of extreme fatigue before your period

Other potential underlying causes of extreme fatigue the week before your period can include:

Persistent pain
Endometriosis
Sleep disorders
Depression
Medications like antidepressants
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)

Tackling extreme fatigue before your period in the UK: what helps with PMS fatigue?

Iron

Periods aren't just a monthly nuisance — they also affect your health by lowering your iron levels. If you have heavy periods, you're at an even higher risk of iron deficiency anaemia.

Up your iron intake through your diet by consuming dark green leafy veggies like spinach, red meat, nuts and dried fruit.

Or, get your recommended daily iron intake with Novomins' delicious and convenient iron gummies. Rich in iron, each gummy supports healthy red blood cells, combating fatigue before, during and after your period.

Multivitamins

Multivitamins are a great way to improve general health and replenish nutrients lost during your period. Vitamin B6 and magnesium reduce tiredness and support normal metabolism, keeping energy levels stable.

Magnesium in particular is well-known for improving sleep and is thought to prevent period pain by relaxing the muscle of the uterus.

Research has also discovered that calcium and vitamin D reduce the likelihood of developing fatigue-inducing PMS. One study revealed that women who consumed calcium carbonate twice daily for three months experienced less fatigue compared to those with PMS who did not take the supplement.

Novomins stocks a range of multivitamin tablets, including vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium and vitamin D.

Dietary changes

They often say that food is the best medicine, and when it comes to combating extreme fatigue the week before your period, that couldn’t be more true.

Leafy greens and vegetables like kale and Swiss chard are rich in B vitamins, helping the body burn food to produce energy, as well as much-needed iron.

Other PMS-friendly foods include:

Nuts (omega 3)
Sweet potatoes, butternut squash and organic oats (complex carbs)
Seafood like sardines and salmon (omega 3 and vitamin D)
Yoghurt, milk and cheeses (calcium)
Whole grains
Lean red meat (iron)

There are also certain foods you should stay away from, such as processed junk food (no matter how bad your period cravings get), sugar and salt, which are inflammatory and can worsen period pain.

PMS gummies

PMS gummies are packed with vitamins and nutrients that ease the discomfort of PMS symptoms and help you better manage your monthly cycle.

Novomins PMS Gummies are specially formulated with chasteberry extract to balance your hormones, alongside magnesium and vitamin B6 to boost your energy and provide nervous system support — all vital for fighting fatigue.

Providing targeted PMS relief, these gummies also include calcium which helps relax muscles to alleviate cramps and stabilise your mood during the premenstrual phase.

Exercise

We get it — exercise is probably the last thing you feel like doing right before your period pays its monthly visit. But moving your body is a great way to naturally boost energy levels during menstruation, with aerobic exercise helping with period fatigue.

An effective way to reduce PMS symptoms like cramps, exercise also releases endorphins — happy hormones, which are natural painkillers and mood elevators.

Vitamin B12

Those who are deficient in vitamin B12 may notice a lack of energy, fatigue and shortness of breath. Add this to severe exhaustion before your period, and you've got a double whammy.

Vitamin B12 is responsible for energy and plays a crucial role in cell metabolism, reducing tiredness and fatigue. It's also vital in red cell production, preventing the development of anaemia during menstruation.

By upping your B12 intake, either through your diet or supplements, like delicious, strawberry-flavoured Novomins B12 gummies, you can help ease pre-period fatigue, making you feel less tired throughout the day.

Fight extreme fatigue before your period with Novomins gummies

Feeling extreme fatigue the day before your period is a common experience for many women worldwide. Extreme fatigue before your period occurs due to a decrease in estrogen levels, resulting in chemical changes in the brain and lower serotonin levels, which are typical symptoms of PMS.

If your fatigue is so extreme that it stops you from going about your daily life, it might be time to see the doctor. Common underlying causes include thyroid problems, anaemia and premenstrual syndrome.

You can combat extreme fatigue before your period by incorporating lifestyle changes such as gentle exercise, dietary adjustments and supplementation with Novomins women’s health gummies!

Our doctor-formulated range of women’s health gummies is tailored to meet the needs of women's bodies. It includes delicious strawberry-flavoured iron gummies to boost iron levels during menstruation, as well as PMS gummies for premenstrual support and natural symptom relief.

Click here to browse the full Novomins women’s range.

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