Are 'Man Periods' real?

Women are not the only ones who experience less than desirable effects of a monthly cycle, as a quarter of British men have confessed they experience a ‘man-period’.

Having surveyed both men and women in the UK, a new survey found that 58% of women believed their other halves regularly experience the phenomenon.

The team at vouchercloud undertook the study as part of ongoing research into the lifestyles, habits and relationships of Britons. 2,412 Britons aged 18 and over took part in the survey, with a 50/50 split of men and women. All respondents stated they have been in a relationship for a minimum of 12 months and co-habited with their partner.

Initially, all male respondents were asked if they believed they experienced ‘man-periods’. They were asked to consider the common side effects of PMS which women regularly experience during their menstrual cycle, including tiredness, cramps, increased sensitivity etc. A quarter of respondents (26%) stated that they had, while remaining participants either had not (65%) or were ‘unsure’ (9%).

In order to understand this further, the relevant respondents were then asked what symptoms they had experienced during their 'man-period'. When provided with a list of possible responses and told to select all that applied, the top 5 results were as follows:

1. Irritable - 56%
2. More tired than normal - 51%
3. Increased cravings e.g. chocolate, ice-cream - 47%
4. Constantly hungry - 43%
5. Easily upset - 43%

Further to this, 15% of these men stated they felt ‘bloated’ and 12% confessed they were ‘more sensitive about my weight’. Additionally, 5% believed they experienced ‘menstrual cramps’.

The team then surveyed the female respondents and asked questions about ‘man-periods’ and whether they had noticed any related changes in their partners. 48% of women believed their partners regularly experienced ‘man-periods’, with 18% agreeing that their partner 'handles their 'period' worse than I do'.

Furthermore, all female respondents whose partners had ‘man-periods’ were asked whether they offered any special support to their partners during these times, of which 43% admitted that ‘yes’ they did. When asked how they had done so, the most common ways cited were ‘try and cheer him up’ (44%) and ‘walk around on egg shells’ (39%). Of those who didn't, 33% admitted they had told their partner to ‘man up’.

According to the poll, the average British man who believes he has a ‘man-period’ spends an additional £81.53 on food and snacks per month, including takeaways and Just Eat orders, compared to those who don't believe they have ‘man-periods’ who spend an extra £63.69 per month to combat increased cravings.

Chris Johnson, Head of Operations at vouchercloud.com, commented:

“There have long been rumours about men having their own version of PMS, but these findings show this is a real phenomenon which many British men experience. PMS may well be a biological effect for women only, but clearly a lot of men have their own monthly ups and downs to handle too!

We'd suggest that men take their lead from the ladies in order to cope with their ‘man-periods’; gentle exercise, plenty of sleep and a healthy diet should help you get back on track in no time - but there's no problem with a night spent eating pizza and ice cream on the sofa either!”

Whether you believe in man periods or not, it's never a bad idea to head to our health and beauty vouchers to make sure you're looking after yourself. Or our sport and fitness vouchers page to run it off for less.