Did You Know Ignoring PMS Symptoms Can Lead To Severe Burnout? Here’s How

More than 62% of menstruators mask their symptoms to appear “normal” at work and in public.

We’ve all heard it: “You must be PMSing.” A phrase so casually tossed around, it has become shorthand for tiredness, tears, or tension. But what if the foggy brain, irritability, and sudden dips weren’t just PMS? What if they pointed to something deeper, chronic, and ignored?

As conversations around menstruation grow louder, one truth remains hidden: the emotional and physical weight of hormonal cycles is made heavier by one thing many menstruators silently carry – a lack of rest.

97% Of Menstruators Adjust Their Lives. Let’s Talk About It

In a culture that praises resilience but rarely permits rest, menstruators are expected to carry on. Cramps, bloating, hormonal shifts, mood swings — and still, the to-do list. From birthdays to workloads to family responsibilities, the mental load is continuous and invisible.

Mahina’s Beyond Blood Report 2025 found that 73% are deeply impacted by periods and hormonal shifts but rarely admit it. With only 3% making no adjustments, the other 97% are quietly rearranging their lives every cycle.

Masking The Pain: Why So Many Hide Period Symptoms

62% of menstruators mask symptoms to appear “normal” at work and in public. Two in three say men expect them to hide the toll; half feel excluded by family. PMS isn’t just cramps or cravings; it’s anxiety spikes, sensory overwhelm, and chronic sleep disruption. Layered on emotional labour, what emerges isn’t just tiredness. It’s burnout.

Periods Aren’t the Problem. Normalising Burnout Is

Among 25–30-year-olds, two in three experience daytime anxiety from leak stress, while 38% wake up mid-sleep to change products. Menstruators feel they can’t afford to slow down, even when their body is crying for rest.

This isn’t just hormonal. It’s cultural. We’ve been taught rest is indulgent, that pushing through is strength. But when you’re exhausted, PMS symptoms amplify: cortisol spikes, mood swings intensify, focus slips. Still, we dismiss it as “just PMS.”

Rest Feels Wrong. Who Taught Us That?

What if we stopped minimising this? What if we had language for this exhaustion — rooted in hormonal shifts, emotional labour, and systemic neglect?

The truth: menstruators are not just tired. They are deeply, chemically, and structurally exhausted. Next time you feel the weight of that fatigue, pause. Rest. Ask for help. Honour the heaviness. Rest should not feel like a radical act.

Also Read: Why Is A 40-Year-Old Woman’s Love For BTS Questioned But A Man’s Obsession With Cricket Is Fine?

About the Author

Natasha Jamal is the Founder of Mahina, a femtech brand transforming how menstruation is experienced and understood in India. She is also a Director at Eicher Goodearth Pvt. Ltd., where she has built businesses that combine heritage with forward-thinking strategy.

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First Published: August 16, 2025 5:21 PM