Are you having a hard time dealing with your period? For some women, menstruation can be extremely unpleasant and painful, especially if the flow is heavy and one that lasts for an extended period of time, sometimes 7 or more days.
If this sounds familiar, then you have come to the right place as this article has some information to potentially help shorten and end your monthly period faster.
But remember, that these are suggestions and that everybody will respond differently to different processes.
You may have to go through a trial-and-error phase and try them all out, combine them, whatever the case may be but know that they are not guaranteed, just some ideas that you can try in order to offer some relief from long periods.
Is Your Period Length Normal?
Each woman is different and no two women have the same period. The average is three to five days but it could last anywhere from one to seven (and some women fall on the outside of seven days as well). Plus there are different things that can affect your period length as well.
These factors could range from lifestyle changes (weight gain or loss, stress, medications), new birth control methods (some can cause heavier periods and some can lessen or stop your period, more on that in a moment) and medical conditions[1] can change and affect the length of your period.
One thing to consider is that you should speak with your doctor if your periods are extremely heavy or last longer than seven days just to ensure that nothing else is going on in your body.
Some signs to suggest that you’ll want to get seen for would be the necessity to change your pad/tampon every hour for several hours, having to get up and change your pad/tampon at night, and/or blood clots that are larger than a quarter.[2]
So as long everything is normal within your body, and nothing else is going on, then read on and try out some of the tactics here to make your period more bearable and hopefully to come to its end sooner rather than later.
How to Make Your Period End Quicker
People have tried many times to get their period to end sooner. Here we are going to present you with some of the tried and trued ways to help you help you period to end a bit sooner than you would normally anticipate.
Get In A Workout: This might be the last thing on your mind that you want to do. Some of you might be crampy and tired and just blah feeling, but exercise could be one of the best suggestions to help your period shorten its duration.
Women who hold additional fat on their bodies more often than not have a longer and heavier period.[3] However, if that is reduced, then too can the length and the heaviness of your period.
If you have an active lifestyle and you are sticking to a consistent exercise regimen, this can make a big difference in having more manageable periods. This might also help you to have a shorter period.
Plus, working out can help to decrease water retention (and therefore bloating), which can also make you feel a lot better.[4]
Some women believe that they should stop exercising when menstruating, but it can be very helpful in ending your period quicker and making your cramps a lot less painful. [5]
Birth Control: Take hormonal supplements and pills: These are not only effective in preventing pregnancy but can also work successively to shorten your menstrual period.
Certain hormonal pills will also cause the lining of the uterus to shed faster, which in turn makes menstruation happen a lot quicker. [6]
Some of them even cause women to stop having a monthly period regularly, some getting it once in a while, and others not at all.
One thing to keep in mind though if you do start taking hormonal birth control is that it could take a few months for things to regulate and your period to become shorter.[7]
You might see it more often before it levels itself out. However, this option should only be considered after consulting with your doctor.
Increase Vitamin C Intake: If you take this vitamin in large doses, it can reduce the level of progesterone inside your uterus and help to shed the walls of your uterus a lot quicker.[8]
This will help to end your menstrual cycle faster than normal. [9] Just ensure that you are drinking a lot of water while taking this vitamin, and ask your doctor whether or not you can take it in larger doses.
Large doses can cause stomach issues, so make sure that you keep that in mind (you don’t want to increase your discomfort).
Use an NSAID (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, i.e. Ibuprofen): Many have reported that ibuprofen has proven to be very beneficial for shortening periods because it can reduce the associated pains and flow of a period by up to fifty percent.
It can help to decrease the overproduction of prostaglandins,[10] which can help to reduce the cramping that you feel as well.
Have Sex: This might be a strange thing to hear when you are talking about menstruation, but sex could actually help shorten your period.
Being stimulated means that there is more blood flow to the genitals which can help to reduce cramps and shorten the period due to increased circulation.[11]
The orgasmic contractions can help the fluids leave your body quicker and this will, in turn, end your period a lot faster.
Just remember that it can be very messy for you to have sex while on your period, so it would be a good idea to discuss it first with your partner and get him to use protection.
No matter how messy it can get, it is pretty much guaranteed to feel better afterward, so throw down a towel and get busy.
Consume certain types of foods: There are some foods that you should pay attention to in order to shorten the length of your period.
These include items such as pumpkin, apricots, papaya, carrots, peaches, spinach, and carotene-rich foods.
Additionally, those vegetables that are rich in Vitamin E such as spinach and kale can help to reduce the length of time that your period hangs around.[12]
Plus, increased greens never hurt anyone right? Take a look at some of the additional suggestion below.
Drink herbal teas and use more spices: Adding additional herbs and spices in different forms can improve your blood flow and stimulate the reproductive system.
Emmenagogues are considered very effective herbs for this purpose. Parsley, sage, chamomile, yarrow, feverfew, red raspberry leaf, and rosemary are some of the mildest herbs that you can use to induce menstruation.
There are also other stronger ones such as angelica, pennyroyal, tansy, juniper berry, black cohosh, and asafetida.[13]
Another is to make your foods spicy because increased heat in the body increases circulation, which can help those fluids to be expelled from your body quicker.[14]
It is important to point out that some of these herbs could interfere with your hormone levels and trigger other side effects, so you should consult with your doctor before use.
Increase heat to your uterus: In the same way that you internally add heat by using spices and herbs, you can also increase the heat surrounding your uterus.
One way is to use a heating pad on the lower region of your abdomen to relieve menstrual cramping and expand the blood vessels. Another is to give yourself a spa day and take a hot bath to increase your period’s flow.
The soaking of your body in hot water can be effective as your body heat increases and your abdominal muscles relax. As previously mentioned, the hot water will encourage dilation and increase the blood flow to your uterus.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could plan how long we want our periods to last? Well, these tips above are just some things to keep in mind if you want to know how to potentially make your period end quicker.
Be sure to consult with your doctor or gynecologist before trying these methods, especially ones that involve medications and adding hormones into your body.
References
- Tracee Cornfrth. How Many Days of Bleeding Are Typical During Menstruation? [Link]
- See Above #1
- Ivana Kiki. How to Stop Your Period Once it Starts. [Link]
- Corey Whelan. Can I Make My period End Faster? [Link]
- https://flexfits.com/blogs/thefixx/exercising-on-your-period
- https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/253812-treatment
- See Above #4
- See Above #4
- https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/how-to-make-your-period-end-faster
- See Above #4
- See Above #3
- Lucy Woodham. Natural Remedies to Make Your Period Finish as Quickly as Possible. [Link]
- Inducing a Menstrual period Naturally with Emmenagogue Foods & Herbs. [Link]
- See Above #9
