Women warned heatwaves could make common PMS symptom even worse

Pre-menstrual symptoms are never fun at the best of times, but you're not alone if you're feeling particularly rotten as temperatures soar.

With the heatwave hitting 35+ degrees across much of the UK this week, most of us are pretty grumpy and sweaty.

Throw in an upcoming period into the mix and you've got a disaster waiting to happen.

Unusually hot weather can play havoc with your body, as well as your menstrual cycle.

Many women have been reporting that their period has been either late or early, with lots of people saying they actually had two periods in June.

Not what anybody wants.

According to the experts at Clue, there is one symptom in particular that can be impacted by heatwaves.

If you regularly find yourself experiencing headaches as one of your PMS symptoms, don't be surprised if they're much worse as things heat up.

Many women find their periods worsen in the heatwave and PMS symptoms can too (Getty Stock)

During a heatwave, your body has to work much harder to regulate itself and to try and keep you cool.

Your menstrual cycle ramps up the strain, as it piles on pressure to just about everything.

We're talking your hormone levels, blood flow, brain chemistry, and your fluid balance systems.

As well as headaches, it can also worsen bloating, and you might feel exhaustion rather than usual mild tiredness, and your irritability may worsen too.

Progesterone and oestrogen are responsible for influencing everything from your mood, to how much fluid you retain and how painful things feel.

Hormonal changes can be felt much more intensely during a heat wave, as everything is already out of kilter.

Increased progesterone levels are the worst offender.

Headaches, bloating and irritation can all worsen during a heatwave (Getty Stock)

They push your core body temperature and your skin temperature way up.

If that's not bad enough, it also delays the point that sweating begins, which is the last thing you want for a heatwave.

A woman in her luteal phase is battling a higher body temperature and less sweat, so is it any wonder you can't cool down?

This then leads to heat exhaustion, and the dreaded painful headache.

Let's be honest, hardly any of us drink as much water as we should, and sometimes people avoid drinking more due to water retention or feeling bloated.

That can also worsen headache symptoms due to dehydration.

Drinking lots of water and keeping as cool as you can is key.

It can also cause menstrual migraines, which are particularly vicious.

An increased temperature is usually linked to migraine attacks, however if your symptoms are much worse than normal, it's worth seeking advice from your GP or a medical professional.