Some severe cramps woke me up in the middle of the night. They kept me up for a while. I gently messaged my pelvic area and breathed deeply into that area. I eventually drifted back to sleep. When I got up this morning, I felt rested, calm and peaceful.

In my 20s, I used to have really bad cramps. I remember one time I had terrible cramps while working at the office. They were so bad I broke down, rolled up in a ball on the floor, trembling, and covered with cold sweat. It was quite a sight! Unable to stand up myself, a male colleague had to carry me home. He looked concerned, but also completely bewildered by what I was experiencing. “If only guys knew what we women go through...” I thought to myself.

I’m in my 30s now, and the cramps are not as bad. They’re still there, but much more tolerable. Doctors say that menstrual cramps lessen with age – surely one of the benefits of getting older.

Over the years, I’ve learned a few things that help me relieve menstrual cramps:

• Gently message around the lower abdominal area. Apply certain essential oils to help relieve pain. Deep breathing into this area also seems to help relieve pressure and tension.

• Apply a heating pad on the pelvic area or lower back. Heat works really well to relieve tension and pain.

• A cup of hawthorn berry tea, then cuddling up in bed – pretty much a cure for almost any discomfort for me.

• Regular exercise, such as walking and yoga, is another cure for all. Life is in the movement. This is the truth.

• And dietary supplements, such as calcium and magnesium, seem to help too.

Do you have any good tips that you can share with the rest of us?