Premenstrual syndrome (NHS)

Tier 1: Established: peer-reviewed research or government health authority
Publisher: National Health Service · Published: August 8, 2026 · Accessed: August 8, 2026

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• PMS symptoms include mood swings, feeling depressed or irritable, feeling upset or anxious, tiredness or trouble sleeping, bloating or cramping, breast tenderness, headaches, and changes in appetite.
• Things that may help PMS: regular exercise, a healthy balanced diet with frequent smaller meals, plenty of sleep, reducing stress, and painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol.
• Keep a diary of symptoms for at least two menstrual cycles and take it to a GP appointment; see a GP if lifestyle changes have not helped or symptoms are affecting daily life.
• Treatments a GP may recommend include hormonal medicine such as the combined contraceptive pill, cognitive behavioural therapy, and antidepressants; specialist referral is possible if symptoms persist.
• Complementary therapies and supplements such as vitamin B6, calcium, vitamin D and magnesium may help, but there is not much evidence they work.
• PMDD is a more severe form of PMS experienced by a small number of women, with much more intense symptoms and a greater negative impact on everyday life, including feeling very anxious, angry, depressed or suicidal, headaches and joint/muscle pain, overeating, and problems sleeping.
• PMS is not fully understood but may be caused by changes in hormone levels during the menstrual cycle; some women are more affected by these changes than others.