On this page 3 sections
Quick answer
- Body changes across your cycle are normal and temporary.
- Social media can strongly affect body image, so curate it.
- Body neutrality is a realistic alternative to forced positivity.
- Worries about food or weight deserve real support.
Bloating, spots and tender boobs can make the week before your period feel like your body is staging a protest. The NHS lists bloating, breast tenderness and spotty skin as common PMS symptoms. It is normal to feel less confident then. It is also temporary, and it says nothing about your value.
Gentle strategies
- Curate your feed: unfollow accounts that make you feel worse
- Try body neutrality: thank your body for what it does today
- Wear comfy clothes on bloaty days, without guilt
- Notice harsh self-talk, and ask if you would say it to a friend
- Do something you enjoy that is not about how you look
MythPre-period bloating means you have gained weight.
Fact
The NHS says some people feel bloated around their period, and the most common cause of bloating is gas in the gut. It usually eases once your period starts.
Sources
Written by the Splash teamSources checked
This is general information, not medical advice. Splash can’t diagnose. If you’re worried, talk to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US). How we write and check articles.