Period symptoms: what they are and how to track them

You got your period and, all of a sudden, your belly started hurting. Or you woke up feeling more tired than usual. Maybe you noticed that your breasts feel sensitive or that you got a new pimple. And then you start wondering: “Could this have something to do with my period?”

It could. During your period and in the days around it, some girls notice changes in their bodies. Others only notice a few things. And some girls barely feel anything at all. There isn't just one way to have a period.

So, let's do something? Let's go through each symptom together. That way, when you feel something, it'll be easier to understand what might be happening and know when it's a good idea to tell someone.

First: what symptoms can you have?

Your period isn't just about bleeding. Before or during these days, your body can give you some signs, like cramps, a more bloated belly, tiredness, headaches, or even mood changes.

These are some of the symptoms that can happen throughout your menstrual cycle.

But that doesn't mean you have to feel all of them. Some girls only feel one of these symptoms, others notice more than one, and some don't feel any at all.

What's important is understanding what's happening so you can know what's normal for you and when it's a good idea to ask for help.

Some of the most common ones include:

If you feel...

It could be...

When it tends to show up

Pain or tightness low in your belly that comes and goes

Cramps

Mostly in the first few days

A full, heavy belly or clothes feeling tighter

Bloating

Before or during, then goes away

Low energy, wanting to stop

Tiredness

Around your period, but it can have other causes

Pain or pressure in your head

Headache

Before, during, or after, and not always linked to your cycle

Breasts that feel more sensitive, heavy, or sore

Breast sensitivity

Before or during, then passes

More irritation or feeling like crying

Mood changes

Around your period, but everyday life matters too

A pimple that wasn’t there yesterday

Skin changes

Around your period, but skin changes during puberty

An upset stomach, feeling like throwing up

Nausea

Around your period

Looser or harder poop

Bowel changes

Around your period

Feeling lightheaded, like you might faint

Dizziness

Can happen around your period; with very heavy bleeding, get help right away

Now, let's understand each one?

Is your belly hurting? It could be cramps

Cramps usually happen in the lower part of your belly. Sometimes, they feel like a little squeeze that comes and goes. You might also feel some pain in your back or legs.

This happens because, during your period, your uterus makes some movements that help menstrual blood leave your body. That's why menstrual cramps are especially common during the first few days of your period.

Mild cramps might pass while you go on with your day. But if the pain is so strong that you can't study, play, sleep, or do the things you enjoy, tell a trusted adult.

You don't have to keep dealing with pain that's getting in the way of your day.

And when cramps show up, you can track how you're feeling in Soso. That way, it'll be easier to remember what that day was like later and tell someone if you need to.

READ MORE | Period cramps or stomachache? How to tell the difference and help during early adolescence

Does your belly feel fuller? It could be bloating

Have you ever put on an outfit you wear all the time and noticed that it feels a little tighter around your belly? Or looked at your belly and felt like it seemed fuller than it did a few days ago?

That's what we call bloating, and it can happen before or during your period.

Your belly might feel bloated, full, or heavy, and sometimes it can even feel like there's something different going on inside. It's a change that can last for a few days and then go away.

And if you notice this happening, you don't need to think that something is wrong with you. A bloated belly doesn't mean you've gained weight. Your body can look and feel a little different during your cycle and then go back to how it was.

Feeling low on energy? It could be period tiredness

Do you ever have a day when it feels like your battery woke up almost empty? You get out of bed, start doing things, and soon feel like you need to stop for a little while. Even something that's usually easy can suddenly feel more tiring.

Some girls notice more tiredness around their period. But don't worry: feeling tired doesn't always mean your period is the reason.

Maybe you didn't get enough sleep, had a really busy day, are worried about something, or are even starting to get sick.

So if you're feeling more tired on one of these days, you don't have to figure out exactly why right away.

Did you start getting a headache?

Your head can also give you a little sign that something feels different. Some girls get headaches before or during their period.

If this happens to you, try to remember when the pain started. Was it a few days before your period? Did it show up when your bleeding started? Or did it begin while you were already on your period?

But this observation is only meant to help you keep track of the pain and understand whether it’s related to your period. You don’t have to find the reason right now: simply noticing when the pain happened already helps a lot. 

You can also tell Soso that you had a headache that day. If it happens again another month, you'll have a record to help you remember what it was like.

And if the pain is very strong, lasts a long time, or is making you worried, tell a trusted adult so they can help.

Are your breasts sore or sensitive?

During puberty, your breasts are growing and changing, so it's normal to notice some differences in them during this time. Sometimes, one side might look a little different from the other, or you might notice that your breasts feel more sensitive.

Your body is going through lots of changes, and that's part of growing up.

Around your period, some girls also notice that their breasts feel more sensitive, heavy, or sore. This feeling can happen before or during these days and then go away.

You don’t need to keep checking your breasts all the time to see if they’ve changed. Just notice, day to day, whether they feel more sensitive or different. 

Now, if any change is making you worried, tell a trusted adult. They can help you decide whether it's important to talk to a healthcare professional.

Are you feeling more irritated or like crying?

Some days, it can feel like everything is just a little harder to handle. Something that normally wouldn't bother you as much might make you irritated, or you might feel like crying over something small.

You might also feel quieter, more sensitive, or simply notice that you don't feel quite like yourself. Some girls notice these changes around their period.

But that doesn't mean everything you feel is because of your period. If someone said something that hurt your feelings, something annoying happened at school, or you just had a bad day, of course that can affect how you feel too.

And it's okay to feel sad, angry, or like crying. What you're feeling matters.

Did you get more pimples?

Did you look in the mirror and find a pimple that wasn't there yesterday? Yep, that can happen too. Some girls notice that they get more pimples around their period.

But one pimple by itself doesn't mean your period is coming. During puberty, your skin is changing too, and it can look different for lots of reasons.

So you don't need to look at one pimple and try to guess when your period is going to start.

And if a pimple shows up, that's okay. You don't need to feel embarrassed about it. Pimples are common during puberty and are part of the changes that can happen during this time.

Are you feeling nauseous or noticing a change in your bowel movements?

Your belly can give you some other signs too. Some girls feel nauseous around their period.

Others notice that they're pooping differently than usual: sometimes, their bowel movements are looser and they feel like they need to go to the bathroom more often. Other times, they can become more constipated. This can also happen around your period.

If you feel nauseous or notice that your bowel movements are different, try to remember when it started and whether it got better after a few days.

If you want, you can track it in Soso and let the app keep that information for you.

But if the nausea is very strong, doesn't go away, or makes it hard for you to eat, drink water, or do your usual activities, tell a trusted adult.

They can help you understand what's happening and, if needed, get help from a healthcare professional.

Feeling lightheaded or dizzy? 

Some girls feel lightheaded or dizzy around their period. This can also have other explanations. If it happens, sit or lie down for a bit and tell an adult.

Get medical help right away if dizziness, feeling faint, or a racing heart show up together with very heavy bleeding, such as needing to change your pad every 1 to 2 hours. Don’t wait to schedule an appointment.

Moms and caregivers: in these cases, go to an urgent care or emergency service.

Are you feeling more than one thing at the same time?

Yes, more than one thing can happen at the same time. You might have cramps and feel more tired on the same day, for example. Or you might feel bloated, have a headache, and notice that you're more sensitive.

Symptoms can happen together, and they can also change from one month to another.

When that happens, you don't have to try to remember everything. That's exactly why tracking can be so helpful.

You can put down what you felt that day and then get on with your day, without having to keep wondering whether the headache came before or after the cramps.

Later, if you want to look back at your record, it'll be there for you. It's like having a place where you can keep little clues about how you felt during your period.

How do you track your symptoms in Soso?

Tracking a symptom in Soso is really simple: you notice something different, open the app, and tell it what you're feeling.

It could be cramps, feeling more tired, a headache, or any other symptom you'd like to keep track of.

Imagine that today is the first day of your period and your belly hurts. You can open Soso and track the cramps. The next day, the cramps are better, but you wake up feeling more tired. So you can track your tiredness that day too.

And that's it. You don't need to write a whole story about everything that happened. Just track what you felt when you noticed it.

Over time, these details stay saved in the app, and you can come back to remember what your period days were like.

This can also be helpful if something is bothering you a lot. Instead of trying to remember on your own when it started or how many days it lasted, you can look at your records and tell a trusted adult or show them to a healthcare professional.

What can you track?

You don't need to write a huge story. Think about three simple things: what you felt, when it happened, and how much it bothered you.

For example:

Day

What you felt

How you were feeling

Day 1

Cramps

It hurt a little

Day 2

Tiredness

I wanted to rest more

Day 3

Nothing different

Normal day

See? It doesn't have to be complicated. What's important is tracking what actually happened to you.

READ MORE | First Period: Myth or Fact? A Quick Quiz 

You don't have to understand everything all at once

If you've just gotten your period, it's normal to have lots of questions. Seeing blood for the first time can feel strange. It can be confusing to have cramps and not know whether they'll go away. And it can feel like a lot when several symptoms show up at once.

You don't have to memorize all of this. When you feel something, come back here, see which symptom sounds most like what you're feeling, and track it in Soso if you'd like to keep up with your cycle.

Little by little, you'll have more information about what usually happens to you.

And when something feels very different, hurts a lot, or makes you worried, remember that asking for help is also part of taking care of yourself.

Want to start now? Open Soso and track how you're feeling today.

Important: This content is for educational purposes and doesn't replace a medical evaluation. If any symptom is very strong, persistent, or getting in the way of your activities, talk to a trusted adult and seek guidance from a healthcare professional.

FAQ: questions about period symptoms

What are the most common period symptoms?

Some girls may have cramps, bloating, tiredness, headaches, sensitive breasts, pimples, mood changes, nausea, bowel changes or dizziness. You might have just one of these symptoms, several of them, or almost none at all. Every girl can experience her period differently.

Is it normal to have symptoms before your period?

Yes. Some symptoms can happen in the days before your bleeding starts, such as cramps, bloating, tiredness, breast sensitivity, and mood changes. This doesn't happen to every girl and can change from one month to another.

How can you tell if a symptom is related to your period?

One way to notice this is to track when the symptom happens and compare it with your next cycles. If you notice that a certain feeling happens several times around your period, there could be a connection. But a symptom can have other causes too, so you can't know for sure just because of when it appeared. If it's strong or making you worried, tell a trusted adult and seek professional guidance.