I am you! I do a lot of the above good things and they do help....however PMT is a fluctuation in hormones...estrogen dropping can cause anxiety, headaches can have multiple causes and triggers, and anger...I guess when estrogen drops we are left with circulating testosterone. The goal isn't too eliminate 100%, some degree of inflammatory response is normal when we have a period, but to get it to a manageable predictable level.
So....
>>Sufficient sleep. 4-5 hours is not enough. Be in bed by 9.30/10pm with lights off so you have enough time in bed to get the 7 hours you need. Best quality sleep happens between 10pm and 2am.
>>Water. Buy a 1 litre bottle and chug through the day. Even buy two.
>>Dial in your diet. Sooooo I was a massive sugar addict and the thing I realised is that if you eat sufficient complex unrefined carb and protein you crave sugar less! During PMT eat every 2 hours. The body needs glucose to make progesterone. Progesterone makes you calm. Eat lots of liver and gut friendly food. Protein reference intake is minimum 50g per person. Try and eat that by lunchtime and you will feel less anxious..the body keeps us eating until we have had enough protein. More is better for brain function IMHO.
>>Magnesium and B6 help, dark chocolate
>>Walks in nature (or a power walk if stressed!) and trying not to be over stimulated 🤣
>>Walk 8k minumum a day and exercise every other day. Have 1 total day off of exercise a week.
>>Try and foresee what is coming up that is going to cause stress during PMT week
>>Lists of what needs to ve finished so when your period comes you can have a little bit more rest time before the next cycle kicks in.
I get it. I still have days when I contemplate asking the GP for a drug then I convince myself it's fine 🤣