How To Enjoy Periods
This article was co-authored by Rebecca Levy-Gantt, MPT, DO. Dr. Rebecca Levy-Gantt is a board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist running a private practice based in Napa, California. Dr. Levy-Gantt specializes in menopause, peri-menopause and hormonal management, including bio-Identical and compounded hormone treatments and alternative treatments. She is also a Nationally Certified Menopause Practitioner and is on the national listing of physicians who specialize in menopausal management. She received a Masters of Physical Therapy from Boston University and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine.There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 22 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 360,762 times.
Periods are usually dreaded because they can be stressful, depressing, painful, and sometimes even embarrassing. You dont have to always suffer, though. Its possible to learn how to enjoy your period so you hardly even notice its that time of the month.
What If You Want A Baby
If youre trying to get pregnant, its vital to schedule plenty of time between the sheets during your fertile window.
If youve been getting frisky mid-cycle for a while and still arent preggo, it might benefit you to have sex more regularly. Cycles vary, after all. It also helps pinpoint your ovulation knowledge is power!
Heres how to get a better handle on your bodys ovulation patterns:
What Does A Period Feel Like
Some women will have pain in their belly . This can be a crampy pain or just a mild ache. You may have lower backache on its own or with the pain in your belly. The pain can often be stronger on the first day or two of your period and will vary in strength and severity from one women to another. Some women also have a headache or feel very tired just before their period arrives or on the first day. Mood changes, teariness and easily losing your temper can sometimes be an indicator that you are getting your period, this is referred to as premenstrual syndrome or premenstrual tension . For some women this can be so overwhelming that they are unable to go about their normal lives. Any symptoms that you find hard to manage should be investigated with your GP.
Many women have no symptoms at all. It is not uncommon for women to notice that they have their period only after they have gone to the toilet and found that there is blood on their underpants or on their toilet paper.
Even without overwhelming symptoms, some women still find it comforting to simply take time out when they get their period, and cuddle up with a hot water bottle.
Adolescent girls and women can both experience skin changes and pimples with their periods.
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Managing Your Period On School Trips:
When you are going on school trips, your period may make you feel less interested and excited about being out with your classmates. But dont let the period bother you too much. Understand that you can do just about everything when you have your period, it all calls for the right protection.
In such situations, cervical or menstrual cups are the best as you will not have to change them often nor will you have to worry about a leak or a stain. Tampons are great too as they dont smell as much as the sanitary pads and are often more effective than the pads.
Stay hydrated, and ask for regular stop-overs if you are traveling by road with your friends. Remember that you will need to change your pad or tampon regularly to avoid any embarrassment and risk of infection and hence, it is better to make sure that you stop on your way rather than regret later.
What Causes A Period
A period happens because of changes in in the body. Hormones are chemical messengers. The ovaries release the female hormones and . These hormones cause the lining of the uterus to build up. The built-up lining is ready for a fertilized egg to attach to and start developing. If there is no fertilized egg, the lining breaks down and bleeds. Then the same process happens all over again.
It usually takes about a month for the lining to build up, then break down. That is why most girls and women get their periods around once a month.
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What Types Of Exercise Are Best Across My Cycle And Why
If youre someone with a period, you might have heard a lot of different information about when to exercise and what types of exercises are best across your cycle.
Feeling a bit confused? So are most people. Lets simplify it!
Basically, studies have found that whilst changing hormone levels across your cycle can affect your energy levels and exercise performance, theres nothing to say dont exercise. Also, keeping physically active can help to reduce symptoms of PMS.
Heres some ideas to help you get the most out of your workouts and nurture your body across your cycle.
Focus On Clitoral Or Other External Stim
This goes for every day of your menstrual cycle, not just when youre bleeding, but sex doesnt have to mean penetrative sex.
Explore your other erogenous zones, adds Luna. Use a vibrator, Wartenberg wheel, feather, or your fingers to stimulate your clit, breasts, neck, inner thigh, lower stomach, and armpit.
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Your Clothes And Linens
The material of your bedding, clothes, and other items will determine exactly how you treat and wash it.
As a general rule: The longer you let a stain sit, the harder it is to get out.
The benefits of period sex cant be O-verstated. Unless youre squeamish around blood, theres really no reason not to get it on.
So, take some mess precautions and say goodbye to those pesky PMS or period symptoms.
Gabrielle Kassel is a New Yorkbased sex and wellness writer and CrossFit Level 1 Trainer. Shes become a morning person, tested over 200 vibrators, and eaten, drunk, and brushed with charcoal all in the name of journalism. In her free time, she can be found reading self-help books and romance novels, bench-pressing, or pole dancing. Follow her on .
How Does Ovulation Relate To Periods
Ovulation is the release of an egg from the ovaries. The same hormones that cause the uterus lining to build up also cause an egg to leave one of the ovaries. The egg travels through a thin tube called a fallopian tube to the uterus.
If the egg is fertilized by a sperm cell, it attaches to the wall of the uterus, where over time it develops into a baby. If the egg is not fertilized, the uterus lining breaks down and bleeds, causing a period.
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Why Isnt My Period Regular
It can take a few years from the time a girl starts menstruating for her body to develop a regular cycle. Even then, whats regular varies girls cycles can range from 21 to 45 days.
Changing hormone levels might make your period short one month and more drawn out the next. You might skip a month, get two periods almost right after each other, have a really heavy period, or one so light you almost dont notice it.
All this irregularity can make planning for your period a real hassle. Try to keep track of when your last period started, and guess that about 4 weeks from that day you could be due for another. If youre worried about wearing that cute dress and suddenly starting your period at school, just make sure you pack protection. Carry a pad or tampon in your backpack, and wear a pantiliner to handle the first wave.
When it comes to periods, every girls body has a unique timeline for getting on track. If your period still has not settled into a relatively predictable pattern after 3 years, or if you were having regular periods and then become irregular or have no period for a couple of months, make an appointment with your doctor to check for possible problems.
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How To Swim When You Are On Your Period
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Your menstrual cycle should never prevent you from enjoying a day at the beach or pool with your friends. In fact, getting some exercise while swimming with your period can help you reduce cramps and improve your mood. People have been venturing into the water since time immemorial, and you can do. If you want to know how to swim on your period, see Step 1 to get started.XResearch source
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Why Am I Craving Chocolate
Eating chocolate releases endorphins and serotonin, which regulate your mood and balance neuromediators, encouraging relaxation. After getting used to this positive reaction to chocolate, your body starts to crave it. It intensifies during your period because of hormonal shifts and the loss of blood and nutrients.
Consider swapping that chocolate bar with a serving of sliced fruit. If that doesnt seem realistic, then opt for dark chocolate with less sugar when you really want to indulge.
When You Have Your Period You May Experience Back Pain
Its not uncommon to experience pain during your menstrual cycle, whether its in the form of abdominal cramps or pain somewhere else. Still, some pain is harder to manage, and that can be a sign of something bigger. However, back pain is a pretty common symptom when you have you period, though extreme back pain isnt.
According to Medical News Today,primary dysmenorrhea, or pain caused by your period,is common. In fact, the website reported, Most people who menstruate experience some form of primary dysmenorrhea, be it cramping, aching, or lower back pain. However, if that back pain becomes severe, it might be a sign that something bigger is going on. Severe back pain during your period can actually be a symptom of endometriosis, which can cause health complications, as noted by Healthline. Lower back pain associated with cramps is normal, but if the pain becomes unbearable and you cant take it, you should go see a doctor.
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Tampons And Pads Arent Your Only Choices
You have more options to help you manage that time of the month.
These products can be cost-savers, since you can reuse them, and they also create less waste. In some cases, they give you more time between changes. For example, you need to change a tampon every 4 to 8 hours, but you may be able to go up to 12 hours with a menstrual cup before you empty it.
There are pros and cons to all these options, just as there are with tampons and pads. But you can find one that works best for you with some trial and error.
Things That May Help With Period Cramps
Dealing with menstrual cramps every month can be as frustrating as it is painful. The good news is there are many remedies that might help you relieve period cramps. Its important to remember that these techniques wont always work, especially for chronic conditions, but they can offer relief for mild to moderate period pain.
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Get Help Relieving Period Cramps
If youve tried all the menstrual cramp treatments on this list and still have painful periods, or you want to know up front which options will work best for you, talk to your primary care doctor or OB-GYN.
At HealthPartners and Park Nicollet, our womens health doctors can prescribe stronger treatments for menstrual cramps that can go a long way to improve your quality of life during that time of the month. A little help from a doctor might be the best way to stop dreading your periods.
Why Should I Keep Track Of My Menstrual Cycle
If your periods are regular, tracking them will help you know when you ovulate, when you are most likely to get pregnant, and when to expect your next period to start.
If your periods are not regular, tracking them can help you share any problems with your doctor or nurse.
If you have period pain or bleeding that causes you to miss school or work, tracking these period symptoms will help you and your doctor or nurse find treatments that work for you. Severe pain or bleeding that causes you to miss regular activities is not normal and can be treated.
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When Do Periods Stop
Your periods will continue until you reach the menopause, which usually happens when you are in your late 40s to mid-50s. In the UK the average age of menopause is 51.
Your periods may start to become less frequent over a few months or years before stopping altogether. In some cases they can stop suddenly.
Morning Sickness Or Nausea
That telltale, queasy feeling known as morning sickness can hit you at any time of day and it typically begins when youre about 6 weeks pregnant, though it can vary and strike even earlier. For most women, nausea starts by week 9.
Hormones, mainly increased levels of progesterone , can cause the stomach to empty more slowly, resulting in this early pregnancy symptom resembling seasickness.
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How Does Eating Citrus Affect Your Period
As mentioned, water with a twist of lemon increases your vitamin C intake and helps you stay hydrated. Fresh-squeezed juices and blended smoothies are awesome foods to eat on your period as long as you minimize the sugar content. Fruit contains plenty of natural sugars, so theres no need to add more.
I Havent Gotten A Post
It depends on how long it has been. Once you break up with your BCP, it can take time for your body to start producing natural estrogen and progesterone â the hormones responsible for regulating your cycle, including ovulation and menstruation.
Many people get their period within 30 days, but it could take up to three months before you’re riding the crimson wave again.
If you reach the three-month mark without a shark week, take a pregnancy test. “This is the most common cause of post-pill amenorrhea during the reproductive years,” Dr. Trolice says. Then, see your primary care physician or ob-gyn for an evaluation.
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When Should I Have Sex To Conceive
Conception can happen after unprotected sex as early as five days before ovulation. This is because some sperm can live that long inside female reproductive organs.
If youre trying to conceive, the best times to have sex are:
- In the three days before ovulation: In this scenario, sperm will be waiting for the egg to come down the fallopian tube.
- At ovulation or within 24 hours of ovulating: Your egg lives for only 24 hours, so if you have unprotected sex during this time, your egg may end up waiting for sperm to reach it, or they may run into each other in your fallopian tubes.
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What Are Common Symptoms Of Menstruation
Most women experience mild symptoms in the few days leading up to menstruation and in the first day or two of menstruating when the flow of blood is heavier. There are over a hundred symptoms that have been attributed to menstruation, and these may change over time and from cycle to cycle. Normally, discomforts associated with menstruation should be manageable enough that you can carry on with your normal life. However, for some women, symptoms are so severe that it becomes difficult to carry out the normal tasks of daily life.
Here are some of the normal physical symptoms of menstruation:
- Trouble sleeping
- Low energy, fatigue
Painful symptoms such as cramps, backache, and tender breasts can usually be relieved by over-the-counter, anti-inflammatory pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Prescription medications are also available. Warm baths or compresses can be useful to alleviate cramping. Constipation can make the cramps far more intense, and the hormones in the latter half of the menstrual cycle do increase constipation. Plenty of fluids, high fibre foods or a simple bulk forming stool softener such as psyllium can relieve pain. If you are finding that your periods are difficult to manage, or they seem worse than what is described, it is time to see your doctor.
Premenstrual syndrome
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Your Period Changes Throughout Your Life
Just when you start to feel like you can predict exactly when your period is going to show, everything can change. For that, you can thank the hormone shifts that happen throughout your lifetime.
Once you get your very first period, your cycles may be longer, meaning more time may pass between when one period starts to the next. A typical cycle for a teenage girl may be 21 to 45 days. Over time, they get shorter and more predictable, averaging about 21 to 35 days.
Hormone changes that happen during perimenopause — the years before menopause when your body starts to make less estrogen — can throw you for a loop. The time from one period to the next may get shorter or longer, and you may have heavier or lighter bleeding during your period. This phase can last up to 10 years before you start menopause and stop getting your period for good.
Gradual life changes are normal, but sudden, unusual issues like very heavy bleeding or missed periods are not. Talk with your doctor if you notice that something seems off.