Last reviewed June 2026

Yes, water retention before your period is extremely common, affecting over 90% of women who menstruate. It’s caused by hormonal fluctuations in the days before your period that cause your body to hold onto excess fluid, leading to bloating, puffiness and that uncomfortable heavy feeling. The good news: it’s temporary, and there are several things that genuinely help.

What causes PMS water retention?

PMS (premenstrual syndrome) is the name given to the physical and emotional symptoms that many women experience in the days before their period. Water retention is one of the most common – and most frustrating – of these symptoms.

The main cause is hormonal. In the lead-up to your period, levels of oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate significantly. Oestrogen in particular influences how the body regulates fluid – when levels rise and fall rapidly, the body responds by holding onto more water than usual. This excess fluid accumulates in the tissues, causing the puffiness, bloating and heaviness that so many women recognise as a sign their period is on its way.

Progesterone also plays a role. As it drops in the days before your period, it can trigger cravings for salty and sugary foods – both of which make water retention worse. This isn’t a lack of willpower; it’s a physiological response to hormonal change.

For most women, PMS water retention resolves naturally within a few days of their period starting as hormone levels stabilise.

What is water retention?

Many women experience water retention during, and in the days leading up to their period when hormonal changes lead to bloating and swelling. It’s particularly common in the stomach, arms and legs, but some women experience it in the face too.

If you suffer from water retention, you may notice your clothes feel tighter around this time – in fact, a 2014 study found up to 65% of women experience period-related swelling.

Water retention can also give the appearance of weight gain and you may also notice you gain a few pounds during this time. Don’t worry too much about this – this is just ‘water weight’ – extra fluid that isn’t properly expelled from your body, not fat.

How many days before your period does water retention start?

Most women notice water retention symptoms around 7-10 days before their period, coinciding with the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle when progesterone peaks. For some women symptoms can begin as early as 14 days before. They typically resolve within 4-5 days of bleeding starting.

What causes pre-period water retention?

Hormones

Throughout our menstrual cycles, our hormones fluctuate and our periods are triggered by rapidly decreasing levels of hormones, oestrogen and progesterone.

Unfortunately, these are the hormones that control how our bodies regulate fluids, responding to this fall in oestrogen and progesterone by holding onto more water, resulting in fluid retention.

Hormones also play a key role in water retention during the menopause — read more here.

Overeating

Hormonal changes before your period can trigger strong cravings for salty or sugary foods – both of which can make water retention worse. This isn’t a lack of willpower; it’s a physiological response to fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone levels.

For a full list of foods to avoid, see our guide to foods that cause water retention.

Exercising less

In the week leading up to your period, oestrogen and progesterone levels increase. This can make you feel more tired than usual and skip your workout or Pilates class. This change can mean that bloating hangs around, rather than being flushed out of your body.

Read our guide on the top 5 exercises to get rid of water retention to find out more.

How can you get rid of pre-period water retention?

Generally, the symptoms of water retention such as water-weight gain and swelling should go back to normal about 4 or 5 days after your period starts.

However, to speed up this process, there are a number of small and fairly simple lifestyle changes you can try to reduce water retention before your period. Try to:

Drink more water: counterintuitive but effective. When you’re dehydrated, your body holds onto fluid as a protective mechanism. Aim for 6-8 glasses a day in the week before your period.

Reduce salt and sugar: both contribute to fluid retention. In the week before your period, try to cut back on processed foods, crisps and sugary snacks – even though they’re exactly what you’re craving.

Move gently: you don’t need to push through an intense workout. A 30-minute walk, yoga or gentle Pilates can help stimulate circulation and encourage excess fluid to move through the body. See our guide to exercises for water retention for ideas.

Elevate your legs: lying with your legs raised for 20-30 minutes can help drain fluid from the lower body, particularly if you’re experiencing swollen ankles or feet.

Try herbal water retention tablets HRI Water Balance contains dandelion, uva-ursi leaf and buchu leaf, traditionally used to relieve the symptoms of fluid retention and bloating.

Does water retention continue during your period?

For many women, water retention doesn’t stop the moment their period starts. It can take 4-5 days after bleeding begins for hormone levels to fully settle and excess fluid to clear. If you’re still feeling bloated and puffy a few days into your period, this is completely normal – your oestrogen and progesterone levels may still be fluctuating.

Staying hydrated, continuing to reduce salt intake and keeping gently active during your period can all help speed up the process.

Why isn’t my pre-menstrual water retention going away?

It can take some time for hormone levels to settle again, even once your period has started. Sometimes, your period may start while your oestrogen and progesterone levels are still falling rapidly so your body continues to hold onto extra water for several days after your period begins.

How can HRI Water Balance™ help with water retention before my period?

Small but mighty, easy-to-swallow HRI Water Balance™ tablets contain a combination of extracts of dandelion, uva-ursi leaf and buchu leaf – three medicinal herbs famed for their anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties.

Thanks to this unique tablet formation, just four tablets a day can help to alleviate the symptoms of period water retention, often within a few hours. HRI Water Balance™ can be taken continuously, or when uncomfortable symptoms arise.  

So why not give natural water retention tablets a go and see if they can help you beat the uncomfortable bloating caused by water retention once and for all!