Which Foods Help with Period Dizziness?

Do you find yourself feeling lightheaded and a little woozy just before or during your period? You’re not alone! While a lot of it comes down to your hormones and general health, there are some foods to eat during your period that might help with the dizziness. Let’s get into why you might feel dizzy, what foods to eat or avoid, and how to stop dizziness during your period.

Potential causes of period dizziness

Your hormones fluctuate throughout your menstrual cycle. You’ll experience peaks and troughs in your estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels. For some, these hormonal changes can trigger unpleasant symptoms like dizziness, vertigo, nausea, headaches, and migraines. These symptoms are sometimes linked to other period-related conditions such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), dysmenorrhea (painful periods), endometriosis, and adenomyosis.

Dizziness can also be a symptom of many other health conditions such as nutritional deficiencies, low iron (anaemia), low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), and low blood pressure (hypotension). Have a chat with your GP about period dizziness if you experience it suddenly or regularly. That way, you can rule out other dizziness-related conditions and develop a management plan so you don’t have to struggle with it every month

Foods to eat on your period

Add the following foods to your grocery shopping list before your next period. Not only are they super nutritious and healthy to eat in general, but they may help reduce feelings of dizziness on your period.

Go bananas

This smiley yellow fruit is high in fibre, potassium, and other nutrients. They’re also a great source of soluble fibre, which may help balance your blood sugar levels and reduce dizziness. Blend a banana with yoghurt and honey for an extra nutritious smoothie to help prevent feeling lightheaded.

Make friends with salad

Dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and broccoli are rich in iron and can help boost your iron levels. Add some tofu, legumes, and nuts, and you’ll have a dizziness-dodging, iron-loaded salad.

Nuts for nutrients

Nuts are great foods to eat during your period because they’re rich in omega fatty acids, which help support a healthy gut and brain. Nut-based milk alternatives, like almond milk and cashew milk, are often fortified with vitamin B12, which is associated with healthy energy levels and brain function. Together, these benefits may help alleviate dizziness.

Foods to avoid on your period

We know pick-me-ups are pretty much essential before and during your period. But some of them may exacerbate dizziness on your period, so try to avoid these treats.

Reduce or limit sugar

As yummy as sugary foods are, they can cause spikes and drops in your blood sugar levels. If your hormones make you sensitive to these kinds of imbalances, it could result in dizziness. It’s best to limit sugary foods and drinks while you’re on your period in case they trigger menstrual dizziness. Opt for healthier sweet alternatives whenever you can, like fruit, nuts, and yoghurt.

Swap out processed foods

Eating too many processed foods is known to be negative for your health – no surprises there. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can upset your body’s balance of carbohydrates, protein, fibre, sugars, sodium, and fat. Eating too much unhealthy or junk food may make your period dizziness worse. Instead of eating a ready-made oven or microwave meal, prep healthy meals for yourself ahead of time.

Avoid caffeine for now

Caffeine stimulates your brain and nervous system – great when you need to be jolted awake, but not so helpful if you’re sensitive to caffeine or prone to dizzy spells. Even if you’re not overly sensitive to it, caffeine can cause digestive issues which won’t make you feel very well and could make lightheadedness worse.

Lifestyle factors to reduce menstrual dizziness

We know you know this, but we have to say it: stay hydrated. Dehydration is often the culprit for dizziness, so make sure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day, every day. If you struggle to drink enough water, remind yourself. Set an alarm that prompts you to have a big glass of water at least every hour. Similarly, if you’re prone to feeling lightheaded, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re eating enough and not skipping meals.

You should also prioritise getting enough sleep, reducing stress, and making time to exercise regularly. It might also help to limit the number of high-intensity activities you commit to around the time of your period.

How to stop dizziness during your period

Feeling woozy, weak, lightheaded, and dizzy before or during your period can be really unpleasant. Because it may be linked to other health conditions, it can be tricky to pinpoint the cause and may require a chat with your GP to figure it out. Thankfully, there are some easy steps you can take to help reduce or prevent your menstrual dizziness. Upping your intake of bananas, dark leafy greens, and nuts might make it less problematic. You can also avoid certain triggers and live a healthy lifestyle to give yourself the best chance of reducing period dizziness.

Love, Libra x

Essity makes no warranties or representations regarding the completeness or accuracy of the information. This information should be used only as a guide and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional, medical or other health professional advice.