What women expect from men during menses

Given a chance, every man would want to disappear into oblivion during 'those' days of the month when their woman is menstruating. Reason: PMS-pre menstrual syndrome, which is dreaded as a nightmare by most men as the poor beings are subjected to irrational fits of anger, incessant screaming and shouting, crying without reason and bouts of depression.

So, rather than running away from the problem, which obviously you can't (and dare not), why not handle it in a smarter way that will ease your lives? We'll tell you how.

- Firstly, understand that it's not the person, but the hormones which play the brat. Your woman is bound to feel cranky and irritable. So be co-operative and try to understand her problem. Be smart enough to read the signs that will lead to anger or add up to her frustration and nip the reasons in the bud. Even though you find her behaviour funny at times, never ever make the mistake of joking around or teasing her about it. Lest you want to be crucified! And remember, as a guy you can never experience her agony.

- Doing things that she does not like you doing, can otherwise be tolerated. But this is certainly not the right time. So behave like a good boy. Keep up to your promises, don't be late when you meet her and things should be fine.

- You can also lessen her burden of work by helping her in the kitchen, paying her bills or running errands for the things that are required.

Gynaecologist Shyama Kothari says, "Periods often make women feel heavy and uncomfortable. So it's better if her man treats her special during those few days. Even if she's not looking her usual best, tell her how lovely she looks. Women feel insecure, lonely or depressed during that time. So making extra efforts to assure her of your love, and her worth will not cause any harm. Also, buying her a surprise gifts is a good idea." An important point that Dr Kothari makes is to avoid socialising. She adds, "The heaviness due to water retention causes a temporary weight gain. So usually party wear or tight fitted clothes feel tighter and uncomfortable. Also staying up late at night can aggravate the situation."

Women also tend to crave for sugary foods like chocolates during this time. Rather than commenting on the calorie aspect, it is advisable for men to join them in their sinful indulgence sessions to make it fun. Giving a relaxing head, foot or back massage to soothe her tensed nerves can work well too.