Sorry y’all — you usually can’t stop your period for vacation.

I know; it’s the worst. You’re on a flight to paradise and start feeling a little crampy, so you might think your vacation is over. But it doesn’t have to be.

I travel on my period all the time and these tips for dealing with your period always get me through. I may have bled on a few ancient sites, plane seats, and even all over Graceland, but I lived to tell the tale. And you can too.

Here are 7 tips for dealing with your period on vacation:

See also:

• Hate Traveling with Friends? Here’s How to Avoid Fighting on Vacation
• Scared to Travel Alone? Here’s 7 Ways to Practice for your First Solo Trip

Download an APP

The number one tip to dealing with your period on vacation is simply planning ahead.

First things first: download an app, so you know when Aunt Flow is gonna show. If you’re irregular, this might be not the most helpful. That’s fine. Proceed to step two.

smiling — and bleeding — at Windsor Castle

Buy a Diva Cup

90% of the stress of having your period on vacation will just disappear if you just get a Diva Cup already.

While you can read all about why I’m obsessed with mine here, the TL;DR version is that they save you tons of money on period supplies, are hella eco-friendly, and make periods basically stress free.

When I studied abroad in Rome, ½ of my backpack was filled with tampons because finding the kind I like in Italy was going to be difficult. If I had a Diva Cup, I could’ve brought more snacks with me instead.

Don’t be like me. Buy a Diva Cup. Bring more snacks.

Bring along a “Period” Towel

I do this at home too because I’m lazy AF and don’t feel like changing my sheets every time I spring a leak.

Bringing a towel along can also save you from the potentially awkward situation of waking up on the Japanese flag in your hotel room and trying to convince the cleaning ladies that, no, a murder did not in fact occur. So just bring an old towel with you, fold it in half for extra protection, and rest well.

Go for a Walk

Chilling in your bunk with some chocolate and your laptop as a makeshift heating pad might be all you want to do if you have your period on vacation, but that’s just it…you’re on vacation, so you don’t want to miss out.

Also, exercise is the best thing for getting rid of cramps while on your period because the movement can help loosen the blood clots that give them to you in the first place.

So take two Midol, and take a walk around the Louvre, the Great Wall, or the Costa Rican jungle — you got this.

See also:

• Bedbugs, Blisters, and Backpacks: Camino de Santiago Advice for Women
• Czech These Out: The Best Walking Tours in Prague

selfie at the Hagia Sophia…you can’t tell but I’m basically bleeding out

Take a Nap

I’m usually grumpy when I’m on my period because it exhausts me — like going to bed at 9:00PM, sleeping for 10 hours, and then still needing a nap the next day exhausted. So combining that with the regular tiredness from exploring all day can be a disaster.

But you don’t have to let it go that far.

While wallowing in bed all day is not the answer (as stated above) you can do a few things to protect yourself:

• Drink extra water (hello Camelbak).
• Avoid alcohol (I’m a sleepy drunk, so this is especially important for me).
• Schedule slow mornings. Spend a little time pampering yourself before breakfast to set yourself up for a great day.
• Hoard snacks in your purse. Snacks are always a good idea – even when you’re bleeding out—as they provide an instant energy boost.

But seriously. Take a nap. Just don’t sleep the day away.

See also:

• 12 Best Travel Gifts for Women
• How to Deal with Homesickness while Studying Abroad

Carry Wet Wipes

Accidents happen. Even if you have the fool proof Diva Cup, you don’t want to find yourself covered in blood in a public restroom with no way to clean yourself up.

This 100% happened to me y’all — I almost turned Graceland into that one scene from The Shining. Part of dealing with your period on vacation is being prepared and let me tell you, some wet wipes would have come in REAL HANDY. They are also good to have around in case travel tummy strikes.

Become a pro at dealing with your period on vacation. Always pack your wet wipes.

Graceland….where disaster strikes

Set an Alarm

As a last resort, if you are still worried about bleeding all over the hotel’s sheets while you sleep, even with your towel in place, set an alarm for once every three or four hours so you can get up to take care of yourself.

A quick warning: if you’re staying in a dorm, those around you might hate you, so be prepared. That said, if they give you any lip about it, you have my full permission to bleed on them and everything they love.

How do you manage dealing with your period on vacation? 

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