Advice and Helpful Tips

0.4 How to deal with periods.

General information about periods

Periods are something that nearly half of the world's population has to go through at some point, so it's nothing to be ashamed of.

With most people, they start during puberty, at ages 10-15, and end during menopause (ages 40-55).

Usually, periods last for anywhere from 2 to 7 days, with the average amount being 4. Normally the heaviest bleeding happens during the first and second days. The usual length of a period cycle (time between the first day of a period and the first day of the period after that) is 29 days, but anywhere from 23 to 31 days is normal.

If the length of your cycle varies slightly, it's usually nothing to worry about. Especially during the first few years of having your periods, the time between them might change often as your body adjusts to the changes. But it's important to note that having irregular periods (especially after the first few years) could also be a sign of an illness, so if they seem to be different than usual, you should probably tell a doctor about it.

Why do they happen?

The reason why periods happen is that every month the uterus builds a thick lining on its walls in order to prepare for a possible pregnancy. After that, the ovaries release an egg. If the egg gets fertilized, a pregnancy occurs. If not, the uterus will shed the lining that it made. Then that lining, along with a small amount of blood and other things will bleed out of the vagina. So the period "blood" is actually not just blood! It's a bunch of other things as well!

Period products

The most common period products are pads and tampons. Pads are thin strips of absorbent material that are attached to the wearer's underwear, and tampons are inserted into the vagina to absorb blood. If you wear tampons, remember to change them every 4 hours to prevent toxic shock syndrome! It is a dangerous illness that can be gotten from tampons. But that doesn't mean tampons are dangerous, they're completely safe to wear as long as it's done correctly!

Besides pads and tampons, there are some other options as well. For example, period cups, which work somewhat similarly to tampons, except that instead of absorbing the blood, period cups collect it. They can be washed and reused for about a year.

Remember that the most important quality of period products is that you, personally, are comfortable with the method you're using.

Tracking periods

There are many reasons why tracking your periods is a good idea. For example, if you are traveling somewhere, it's good to know whether or not your periods might start during the trip.

Knowing when they begin is also the best way to avoid accidents related to them at school/work. And it's possible to find out if your periods are irregular by tracking them. Some people use normal calendars to mark their periods, and there's nothing wrong with that. But you might want to consider installing a period tracking app, as they can be used to automatically count the length of your cycle and period, when you're most likely to experience cramps, etc.

Cramps

It is completely normal to experience cramping during periods. They are caused by the muscles of the uterus moving in order to get rid of the blood.

Even though it's natural, cramps can sometimes cause a lot of difficulties. But luckily, there are several ways to relieve them. For example, you can use a heating pad on your stomach or try massaging it gently. A change in diet can also worsen or lessen cramps, so look out for that.

For more severe cramps, it might be a good idea to take over-the-counter pain medication. If your cramps don't go away even with the use of medication, last longer than they should, or feel very severe, you should bring it up with your doctor.

What to do when traveling

If you have school or work, and especially if you're traveling, you should always keep period products with you. Depending on how long you're going to be away from home, you should carry at least one pad/tampon somewhere that you'll remember to bring with you. If you have cramps frequently during your periods, it's a good idea to keep some kind of pain medication with you as well. And spare pants or at least a jacket to tie around your waist in the case that your periods leak.

If you forget to bring any period products, but find out that you're going to need them, there's no need to be embarrassed to ask someone for them! People will understand, so don't worry.

Sources:

https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/menstruation.html

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/health-and-wellness/menstruation

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/periods/