"I can't get a grip on it."

There are a fair amount of symptoms that generally let you know you're about to get, or have gotten, your period. Some women experience intense cramping. Others feel a sharp stab in their side that only painkillers can quell. A few people get so stiff that they can hardly walk, let alone deal with the fact that their uterus is punishing them for not having a baby growing inside of it. All of us, however, will experience considerable hormone changes. Whether these shifts are noticeable or not (and if they're not, good for you, well done, we're not jealous at all), they happen every single cycle as our bodies start producing more oestrogen to build up the lining in our womb in preparation for a baby. ... And once the uterus realises that there's no pregnancy to care for, it releases all of this in the form of a period, drops your hormone levels, and makes you feel like shit. Lovely. Dakota Johnson is someone who knows all about that shit feeling. And the bloated feeling. And the general feeling of paranoia and anxiety and stress. Speaking to InStyle, the actor said that her hormone changes are so rapid during her period, that it's actually pretty traumatic. "My hormonal changes during my menstrual cycle are ruining my life," she said. "Every month. It’s unbelievable." "It’s really fucking amazing. I can’t get a grip on it, I’m like, 'what?' Every time, I’m totally scandalised about what happens to my body and my brain. "My boobs are like eight times the size they normally are. It’s really a traumatic thing and it happens every month, I just can’t get used to it." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PedBkPNvIk&feature=youtu.be Hormone changes during the menstrual cycle are totally normal as your body figures out what it's supposed to be doing and the womb prepares for a potentially fertilised egg. PMS symptoms are experienced by the majority of women, however, there are more debilitating and serious conditions that can affect fewer numbers of people. And even in cases that aren't debilitating, these symptoms can still be incredibly painful, irritating, and generally difficult to deal with. If you're worried about your hormonal changes during your cycle - or anything related to your period - you should always talk to your GP.

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For the month of February, Her will be #OnTheRag.  We'll be chatting all things periods, products, and pain as we delve deep inside the uterus to figure out why we bleed and - more importantly - how we cope. We'll also be talking to the experts about some of the period related conditions you have heard of - and all of the ones that you haven't.  You can follow the rest of the #OnTheRag series here or follow our Instagram account for more period related content.  Want to get in touch? Email us at jade@her.ie.