Do you feel sleepy before menstruation? Female friends must know

Menstruation is an important sign of female maturity and is something to be happy about. However, some women always feel sleepy before their period, which makes them particularly distressed and they are particularly afraid that this is a sign of disease. In fact, it is normal for women to experience symptoms such as drowsiness, fatigue, and depression before menstruation, which is mainly related to spleen deficiency, dampness, and insufficient qi and blood.

Is it normal to feel sleepy during menstruation?

This should generally be a normal phenomenon. Because women experience fatigue, irritability, depression, and sleepiness before their period, and may even cry or get angry for no reason; in severe cases, they are unwilling to talk to family and friends, and become so withdrawn that they are bedridden, often accompanied by breast pain, lower abdominal bloating, and constipation; some people gain weight and have edema 1 to 3 days before their period, especially swollen fingers in the morning and swelling of the lower limbs in the afternoon. Some people also experience symptoms such as inattention, forgetfulness, difficulty in judgment, uncoordinated movements, and headaches before menstruation. These symptoms may appear as early as 1 before menstruation and disappear after menstruation. The above symptoms do not appear in the same person at the same time. Generally, a person will have one or two of them, and drowsiness is one of them.

TCM's 3 Understandings and Treatments for Menstrual Sleepiness

According to traditional Chinese medicine, sleepiness is mostly caused by spleen deficiency and dampness, insufficient Qi and blood, or kidney essence loss. The following are three prescriptions to deal with menstrual sleepiness caused by the above three situations.

1. Sleepiness during menstruation caused by spleen deficiency and dampness: Most of them are obese, often accompanied by edema, shortness of breath when moving, poor appetite, fullness and stuffiness in the stomach, and a large amount of leucorrhea with a sticky and thick texture. During menstruation, one feels mentally exhausted, the head feels heavy, the limbs feel heaviness, and one feels drowsy and sleepy. The tongue coating is white and greasy, and the pulse is soft and slow.

Prescription: You can use Taiwushenshu Powder from "Yifang Jijie" for treatment. 12 grams each of Atractylodes lancea and dried tangerine peel, 10 grams each of Patchouli, Magnolia officinalis, and Acorus calamus, 3 slices of ginger, and 10 red dates. Decoction, one dose per day, start taking the medicine 5 days before menstruation and stop taking it after menstruation.

2. Sleepiness during menstruation caused by insufficient Qi and blood: It is more common in women with weak bodies, and is characterized by shortness of breath, laziness, fatigue, dizziness, palpitations and uneasiness. The menstrual volume is small, light in color and thin in texture. I feel drowsy during menstruation, especially after meals. The face is sallow, the tongue is pale with white coating, and the pulse is deep, thready and weak.

Prescription: You can use the traditional Chinese medicine prescription Shiquan Dabu Decoction with modifications for treatment. 10 grams each of Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, licorice, Angelica sinensis, white peony root, and Rehmannia glutinosa, 30 grams of Astragalus membranaceus, 3 grams each of cinnamon bark and Chuanxiong. Take it in decoction, one dose per day. Take the medicine when drowsiness starts before menstruation and continue until the menstruation is over. Generally, 5 to 8 doses are appropriate each time.

3. Sleepiness during menstruation caused by deficiency of kidney essence: more common in women who have frequent artificial abortions. The main clinical manifestations include fatigue, sleepiness, tinnitus, deafness, and dull expression during menstruation. I usually feel lack of energy and my waist and knees are weak. Menstruation is often delayed and the menstrual flow is less. The tongue is pale with white coating, and the pulse is deep, thready and weak.

Prescription: For cases of kidney essence deficiency, most of the disease courses are long and difficult to be cured overnight. Heche Dazao Pills are often used and patients are advised to take them for a long time. The effect is satisfactory. Prescription: 30 grams of placenta, 24 grams of rehmannia, 10 grams each of stir-fried eucommia, asparagus, ophiopogon, and Achyranthes bidentata, 10 grams of tortoise shell, and 6 grams of phellodendron. Grind them into fine powder, add refined honey to make pills. Each pill weighs 10 grams. Take one pill in the morning and evening.