You can stop your period faster once it’s started – with 5 simple tricks
PERIODS have this magical power of knowing when not to start - and starting anyway.
About to go on holiday? Cue, Aunty Flow. Got a big meeting? Of course, that's when it starts.
is the obvious tool for managing your flow.
If it doesn't stop it completely, things like the Pill, the implant and IUD can significantly reduce the length and force of a period because technically, you're only having a withdrawal bleed rather than a genuine womb shedding incident.
While scientific research on the delaying or stopping of periods via more holistic methods is scarce, there are a few well-known things you can do to try to curtail the period window as much as possible:
1. Start exercising and eating well
A good hormone-free alternative is to try to eat a healthy, packed with lots of fruit and veg.
One British study, found exercise is also supposed to help , and it's also useful for reducing water retention, bloating and cramps/
Obviously, no bloody experience is the same and exercise isn't always realistic if you suffer from really heavy, painful periods. But if you can, working out every day might help.
2. Up your vitamin C
Although limited, some studies suggest vitamin C, when taken in decent doses, may reduce your progesterone levels and that in turn, helps to break down your uterine lining more quickly - shortening your period.
One body of research published in found that rabbits given high levels of vitamin C had increased levels of hormones which could bring on bleeding faster.
But be careful; too much vitamin C can have unpleasant side effects like diarrhoea and insomnia, so don't take more than the recommended dose.
4. Avoid using tampons
Tampons might be good for soaking up blood but they're terrible for the environment and apparently, can block menstrual flow from the vagina, Holly Ernst, a US Physician Assistant told .
As a result, they can make your period last longer.
If you want to work through the process quicker, try using menstrual cups or pads to keep the area clear (a cup collects blood rather acting as an absorbent barrier).
It's worth saying that not everyone agrees that tampons do this (notably tampon companies), but you can't lose by trying out different sanitary products.
4. Have an orgasm
According to gynecologist Dee Fenner, MD, director of gynecology at the University of Michigan, a cheeky could be your key to shortening your period.
“Although no studies have been done on this, it’s likely that menstrual blood in the uterus is squeezed out during orgasm,” said Dr Dee in an interview with .
Sex and/or masturbation that leads to orgasm can cause the uterus to contract - and that can result in more menstrual blood being pushed through the vagina.
You only generally only lose up to around 16 teaspoons of blood (normally a lot less), which isn't that much at all. It just feels/looks like a lot.
So anything that can get the uterus to exit blood faster is probably going to speed the process along.
MORE ON HEALTH
Long-term, as we've already said, birth control is the most effective means of stopping or curtailing the flow.
If you want to put it on hold on a more long-term basis or heavy, lengthy periods are getting you down (which could be a sign of something like polycystic ovary syndrome or endometriosis), you're best off consulting your GP.
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