What is ‘period anxiety’ that is making women athletes ditch their white shorts?

Being constantly worried about stains during periods is dreadful, especially if you are an athlete. To deal with the anxiety people have during periods, more and more women’s teams are saying bye to their white shorts and adopting darker shades. Women’s soccer teams of New Zealand and England are the latest to ditch white shorts from their uniforms. New Zealand’s football association, NZF, announced on Wednesday (April 5) that the soccer team would exchange their home kit’s white shorts for teal blue. Team New Zealand, also known as Ford Football Ferns, cited a “global shift away from female athletes wearing white shorts” for the move, reported Time magazine. Welcoming the announcement, New Zealand striker Hannah Wilkinson was quoted as saying by ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) News: “The absence of white shorts now is fantastic for women with any kind of period anxiety”. Earlier this week, Football Association (FA) also said that England women’s team will switch their white shorts for blue in its latest kits for the World Cup. Though it did not provide a reason in the media release, England forward Beth Mead had earlier said that white shorts were “not practical when it’s the time of the month” and the team has expressed these concerns to its official kit manufacturer Nike, reported Reuters. Which other women’s teams have dropped white shorts from their uniforms? What is period anxiety and how does it affect menstruating people? We explain. No more white shorts Last month, Ireland women’s rugby team said it would swap to navy blue shorts. The Manchester City women’s soccer team now wears navy shorts, while female players of West Bromwich Albion have switched to burgundy. Last year at the Wimbledon tennis championships, women athletes had talked about the anxiety they feel when forced to wear white on their period, noted Reuters.  Wimbledon has a strict all-white clothing rule for its players. [caption id=“attachment_12418652” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Ireland women’s rugby team has changed to navy blue shorts. Reuters File Photo[/caption] However, acknowledging these period concerns, the organisers of Wimbledon announced last November that from 2023 that “women and girls competing at The Championships will have the option of wearing coloured undershorts if they choose”, reported NPR. Earlier this week, Nike said it has included technology to stop period leaks in its new kit for 13 nations, including Australia, New Zealand and Brazil, following “athlete feedback”, as per Time magazine. What is period anxiety? We notice shifts in mood, physical discomfort as well as bloating before or when we are on periods. However, how many of us realise we are experiencing anxiety at that “time of the month”? People can experience anxiety before their periods due to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This anxiety often includes excessive worrying, nervousness and tension before periods, noted Healthline. ALSO READ: Why Florida wants to restrict menstruation discussions at school What is PMS?

PMS affects 30-80 per cent of people who have periods, as per Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA).

The physical symptoms of PMS include cramping, bloating, tender breasts, headaches, backaches, constipation or diarrhoea, as per a Medical News Today report. Fatigue, irritability, change in food cravings, mood swings, altered sleeping patterns, loss in desire for sex and difficulty in concentration are all psychological symptoms of PMS, the report added. What is PMDD? If your mood changes are severe before menstruation, you might have PMDD. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, around 5 per cent of menstruating people experience PMDD. ADAA defines PMDD as “depression that is tied to a woman’s menstrual cycle and is sometimes a disabling extension of premenstrual syndrome”. [caption id=“attachment_12418662” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Period anxiety is people before their periods due to premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Pixabay (Representational Image)[/caption] As per ADAA, other symptoms of PMDD include severe irritability and anger, feeling overwhelmed, sudden sadness, anxiety, an increase in depressed mood, social withdrawal and more sensitivity to rejection. Healthline says that PMDD is linked to preexisting mental health disorders and those who have anxiety or depression are more at risk. ALSO READ: With stained pants, Kenyan senator fights menstruation taboo Why does this happen? Hormones. To date, experts do not know much about premenstrual symptoms and conditions. However, most believe it has to do with fluctuation in hormones during the luteal phase that starts after ovulation and ends when the bleeding begins. During this phase, levels of reproductive hormones – estrogen and progesterone – increase and fall “dramatically”, as per the Healthline report. These changes can affect neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine that are connected with regulating mood. This can be a reason behind the psychological symptoms of periods, the report added. Is there a solution? While experiencing anxiety during periods is not in your hands, you can take steps to lessen some of that unrelenting worry. Sleeping properly, at least for eight hours, every night can help. Exercising is also an option. Studies show aerobic exercise can “effectively reduce PMS symptoms”, noted Medical News Today. Cutting down on caffeine intake and avoiding smoking and alcohol can also ease premenstrual symptoms. ADAA says contraceptive pills with no pill-free interval can also prove effective. For those who face PMDD, doctors can recommend antidepressants such as some serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), noted ADAA. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Instagram .