Some days your jeans fit, and some days your body seems to have quietly inflated overnight. If that bloat tends to track your cycle, blame your hormones, not your willpower.
Two things are usually going on. First, water retention: in the second half of your cycle, shifting oestrogen and progesterone make your body hold onto more fluid, so you feel puffier and a little heavier. Second, slower digestion: progesterone relaxes smooth muscle, including in your gut, which can mean things move more sluggishly, leaving you gassy and full. Put together, that's the classic premenstrual balloon feeling. Perimenopause can amplify all of it, because the hormone swings get bigger and less predictable.
You don't have to just ride it out. Things that reliably help:
When to look closer: bloating that's persistent (not cyclical), new and unexplained, or comes with pain, changes in bowel habits, or feeling full quickly deserves a doctor's review, just to be safe.
For the everyday cyclical kind, though, this is a normal, manageable part of having hormones. A few small tweaks in the right week, and you'll feel a lot less like a balloon.
Why do I bloat before my period?
Hormone shifts in the second half of your cycle cause water retention and slower digestion, which together create that bloated feeling.
When should I worry about bloating?
If it's persistent rather than cyclical, new and unexplained, or comes with pain or changes in bowel habits, see a doctor.
Related reading: Your cycle, phase by phase · Your gut and your hormones · Take the free Hormone Quiz