Feeling super distracted/hyper before/during period - anyone else had this?

Former Member

So recently, a couple of days before my period was due and also on the day it started, I don't think I felt especially anxious or anything but I just could not concentrate AT ALL. I'd try to start a task and then five seconds later be lost in thought about something completely unrelated, over and over again; I think once I even went to the bathroom to get rid of a used pad but then completely forgot to replace it with a new one before I left just stuff like that, constantly, like my brain just couldn't stay still. This kept happening throughout basically the entire day! Plus I kept getting tired pretty quickly, I think because I just couldn't stop overthinking or even calm my brain down enough to relax properly. I found an article online that called this 'brain fog' and said that it's normal to have at that stage in the menstrual cycle; there were some tips on how to deal with it but I don't think I found them helpful at the time. Plus I'm normally pretty good at focusing on things (once I've stopped procrastinating enough to start them lol) and I wouldn't describe myself as a very forgetful person, so this felt really out of the ordinary and disconcerting.
So anyway, reaching out to other people who menstruate on here to ask if you've experienced anything like this, and if you've got any advice to deal with it? Luckily I feel much better now but don't want to be caught off-guard if it happens again. Thanks guys

independent_

I do get this sometimes. It’s like my brain doesn’t want to stop jumping from thing to thing. I’m quite a forgetful person as is so I can never figure out if it’s specifically linked to my cycle, but it definitely gets worse sometimes when I’m due on.

No tips really, but you’re not alone. I guess it affects everyone in so many different ways and there are hundreds of potential symptoms people get but never talk about.

Amy22

PenguinSky wrote: »

So recently, a couple of days before my period was due and also on the day it started, I don't think I felt especially anxious or anything but I just could not concentrate AT ALL. I'd try to start a task and then five seconds later be lost in thought about something completely unrelated, over and over again; I think once I even went to the bathroom to get rid of a used pad but then completely forgot to replace it with a new one before I left just stuff like that, constantly, like my brain just couldn't stay still. This kept happening throughout basically the entire day! Plus I kept getting tired pretty quickly, I think because I just couldn't stop overthinking or even calm my brain down enough to relax properly. I found an article online that called this 'brain fog' and said that it's normal to have at that stage in the menstrual cycle; there were some tips on how to deal with it but I don't think I found them helpful at the time. Plus I'm normally pretty good at focusing on things (once I've stopped procrastinating enough to start them lol) and I wouldn't describe myself as a very forgetful person, so this felt really out of the ordinary and disconcerting.
So anyway, reaching out to other people who menstruate on here to ask if you've experienced anything like this, and if you've got any advice to deal with it? Luckily I feel much better now but don't want to be caught off-guard if it happens again. Thanks guys

Sometimes that can happen a lot. I find that myself too when I'm on mine. I tend to be more anxious normally and I get very tired. I would say maybe resting and doing something relaxing can help with the feeling of restlessness. I often watch a film or crochet but it depends on how much pain I'm in. I know that it can.be normal to feel tired during your cycle. I'm always here though if you would like to talk more about anything,

Sending hugs,

Amy22

Former Member

@Amy22 Thanks I have no idea how to crochet but maybe watching a film would be a good one for me! Yeah I think it's normal to get tired in the run-up to a period because your estrogen levels are dropping or something... happens to me around the time I'm supposed to be ovulating as well, which is really weird.
Sending hugs back x

Former Member

@independent_ Yeah exactly! it's like you just want to yell at your brain to STFD lol... yeah it's always good to know that I'm not the only person dealing with something. Sending hugs