Why do I get bloated before my period?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Water retention driven by hormones, not food: the premenstrual progesterone-estrogen shift makes the body hold sodium and water, and progesterone slows the gut - so fullness peaks before the bleed and releases as the period starts. The on-schedule swing confirms it is hormonal. What helps: less salt that week, steady hydration, daily movement, smaller meals, less alcohol and carbonation. What to watch: bloating that stops cycling - persistent, daily, or paired with pelvic pain, early fullness, or a changing waistline over months: get checked.
What to do
- Cut salt the premenstrual week. Water follows salt - the biggest lever.
- Hydrate steadily anyway. Consistent intake eases retention.
- Move daily. Exercise shifts fluid and gut contents both.
- Flag bloating that stops cycling. Persistent is a different conversation.
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