How Alcohol Affects Your Cycle

That glass of wine (or three) might help you relax but your hormones definitely notice.

Alcohol has a real impact on your menstrual cycle, and if your periods feel more painful, heavier, or unpredictable, your drinking habits could be part of the reason.

Let’s break it down.

Alcohol Messes With Your Hormones

Alcohol affects the liver and your liver is responsible for breaking down excess estrogen. When it’s busy processing alcohol, estrogen sticks around longer in your body.

Higher estrogen can lead to:

• Heavier periods
• More bloating
• More breast tenderness
• Stronger PMS

It can also delay ovulation, which throws off your cycle timing.

It Can Make Periods More Painful

Alcohol increases inflammation and dilates blood vessels. That means:

• Worse cramps
• More pelvic pressure
• Increased bleeding

Not exactly what you want when you’re already uncomfortable.

It Disrupts Sleep (Which Affects Your Cycle)

Even if alcohol makes you feel sleepy, it lowers the quality of your sleep  and sleep is when your hormones reset.

Poor sleep = more cortisol (stress hormone) = more cycle disruption.

It Dehydrates You

Dehydration makes:

• Cramps worse
• Bloating worse
• Fatigue worse

Your uterus is a muscle and muscles don’t like being dehydrated.

You don’t have to quit drinking forever but if your periods are rough, cutting back (especially the week before your cycle) can make a noticeable difference.

And when your period shows up, Tampon Tribe’s clean, organic period products keep things comfortable without adding extra irritation to an already sensitive system.