How To Shorten Your Period

Have you ever wondered how to shorten your period? You’re not alone. Modern life and technology seem to be against women when it comes to menstruation. Our workplace and social lives want us to stay calm and collected while we have free-flowing blood from our uterus. This can be so tiring.

Periods can last for different lengths of time. There is a wide range of normal and some women’s periods can be particularly long or short. You may feel that your period is too long, and you want to find a way to shorten your period. Here are some things you can do to help make your period shorter. However, let’s first examine the duration of menstruation.

How Long Do Periods Last?

You may have a general idea of how long a period usually lasts, but what about your particular case? To be honest, it can vary greatly. For one thing, the duration of periods greatly varies with age and hormonal balance. For another thing, certain menstrual irregularities can lead to some very unusual bleeding patterns. It may surprise you to learn that averages don’t necessarily tell the whole story regarding menstrual cycles.

Every person has a different cycle and might experience various symptoms during their period. Nevertheless, the average menstruation lasts 3 to 5 days, although it can vary from woman to woman. However, a few women can experience very heavy periods that may last for up to 7-8 days.

Ways On How To Shorten Your Period Naturally 

Periods are normal. However, when they’re longer than they should be, it can cause problems for someone’s life. Not only that, but it becomes more uncomfortable for one to live their daily life. So how can you shorten your period naturally?

1. Use hormonal contraception

Hormonal contraception is a pill, skin patch, ring or injection that contains the hormone progestin to prevent pregnancy. Combined hormonal contraceptives contain both estrogen and progestin. Women usually take these pills orally every day for three weeks, then have one week without hormones. During this week, you will normally get your period. Some women may not bleed at all during this time. These are called continuous hormone contraceptives. Other forms of hormonal contraception include three months of hormones followed by one week of placebo pills or no pills.

2. Regular Exercises 

Shorten your period by exercising regularly. Regular exercises, such as short power or strength training, can help eliminate excess fluid buildup and lower the levels of estrogen and progesterone. These are two substances that cause bloating and also impact menstruation. Additionally, hormonal changes occur during strenuous exercise. Working out helps not only alleviate pain from cramps but also regulate periods and shorten them. 

3. Sex

This is one of the effective ways on how to shorten your period. Getting an orgasm either through sex or masturbation shortens your Period. This is due to the contractions which happen in the uterus that helps the blood flow faster.

4. Herbal remedies 

If you are looking for how to stop your period naturally, this is one effective way. Taking herbal tea can also help lighten the flow and reduce pain. Raspberry leaf tea, often recommended to pregnant women for its rich calcium content, is an excellent uterine toner. This is because it helps relax muscles and tone tissue. 

Red raspberry leaf tea is said to shorten a woman’s menstrual period by half a day or more. It does this without reducing the amount of blood lost. In addition to helping to shorten your period, a raspberry leaf tea can help normalize the flow while reducing pain by about 30%.

5. Avoid using tampons 

In some women, using tampons may cause longer flow. This is because of the nature of how tampons are used, which might delay the bleeding. On the other hand, using a sanitary pad helps to ease the blood flow and quickens the process. This doesn’t stop your Period, but it helps if you are looking for how to end the period in two days or three. 

6. Eat foods with essential nutrients. 

Getting the required nutrients is beneficial in knowing how to speed up your period. When between your periods, eat foods rich in vitamin B complex, calcium, protein and iron. Foods should be wholesome and free of preservatives. A good example is vitamin B6. B6 may help reduce anxiety, depression and premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and it can help manage inflammation that causes cramping. B6 has also been found to reduce the occurrence of heavy bleeding by reducing blood loss.

How To Stop Your Period

1. Contraceptive implants

In order to prevent pregnancy, the most common strategy is to use drugs that prevent ovulation from happening. But a new method of contraception called a hormonal contraceptive implant can provide a continuous supply of a woman’s natural hormones and stop her body from going through the natural monthly ovulation cycle. Like other contraceptives, implants can be inserted by a doctor or nurse, and no further attention is needed. After having an implant inserted, you won’t have to think about birth control again for about three years.

2. Progestin shots

Progestin injections can be an effective way to control your period. These shots are administered in the buttocks using ultrasound guidance by a health care provider. Progestin shots are most often used in women who can not take birth control pills or who have not found contraception that works for them. There are several different brands of progestin available, but Depo-Provera is the most commonly used. 

Your physician administers them. Once they are injected, these shots can provide continuous progestin levels, which can help with painful, heavy periods or constant bleeding. Progestin shots are a safe and highly effective option for managing heavy periods as well as absent periods. 

It may take 4 or 5 months for your periods to stop after you start progestin shots.

3. Intrauterine devices (IUD)

An IUD is a small ( T-shaped) device made of flexible plastic inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. While you may hear the IUDs called different names, all are types of intrauterine devices that work in different ways. There are two types of IUDs. One type uses hormones to work. It can be used as a form of birth control. IUD stands for intrauterine device. This one is T-shaped and made of plastic or metal (hormonal IUD). The other has copper wrapped around the stem (copper IUD).  

IUDs are safe, effective birth control options for women, no matter which stage in life they find themselves. Currently, there are five IUDs approved in the United States: Paragard (copper), Mirena (hormone), Kyleena, Liletta, and Skyla.

They are inserted into your uterus by a health care provider to await fertilization. If sperm fertilizes the egg inside the uterus, the implantation won’t allow the embryo to attach to the wall of your uterus. The IUD will stay in place until your healthcare provider removes it.

Is It Safe To Stop Your Period?

The topic of period stopping comes up in various forms. Some people want to know if you can stop your period permanently, others want to know if they can just skip their periods for a while. There are many reasons why you may want to stop your period, especially if your periods are excruciating. 

It’s tempting to skip periods, but shortening your cycle with hormonal contraceptives might not be the best idea. Some women who might be in situations where time and privacy are burdensome and uncomfortable do this. Good examples are; runners, triathletes and military personnel. They may want to consider shortening their cycles with hormonal contraceptives in order to maintain privacy and freedom from menstrual symptoms. This allows training or work performance to continue without interruption.

Hormonal birth control methods allow women to stop their menstrual cycle or skip periods entirely. Known as continuous or extended use of contraception, this practice is recommended for longer-term birth control.

Nevertheless, when you stop or significantly reduce your birth control pills, hormone levels start to rise. This can cause breakthrough bleeding. Unscheduled bleeding is more common during the first year of using the pill; it tends to decrease after that.

So is it safe to stop your period? The answer is yes. However, doctors strongly recommend that women do not use the contraceptive method on a long-term basis. You’ll need to talk to your doctor before using or discontinuing the use of birth control pills or other forms of hormonal birth control if you’re currently dependent upon it.

Final Takeaway 

The aforementioned natural methods on how to get rid of your period may vary from person to person. Some of them are effective. However, there is no guarantee that all these methods will work for everyone. Exactly how fast or slow periods come can vary widely. The best way to choose the right one for you is to try them out and see which one works best for you.

Additionally, like most issues, you need to discuss with your health care provider before taking any action.

FAQs About How To Shorten Your Period

Can I push my period out faster?

In most cases, a period will arrive on its own within two to seven days. But if the person wants it to come faster, they may try physical exercise or relaxation methods.

What can I take to make my period go off?

There is no medication nor magic pills that can make your period go off permanently. The only way to stop your periods is through pregnancy. However, there are specific ways to shorten or prevent your period short term. 

Does drinking water stop your period?

If you have your period, it may be tempting to try drinking lots of water to stop it. However, contrary to popular belief, drinking water does not stop your period. Drinking water is good for you throughout the month, not just when you are on your period.

Does drinking water make your period heavier?

Many women believe that drinking water makes their period heavier. Anecdotal evidence suggests that drinking more water can increase the amount of blood lost during menses. Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence that this belief is true. Despite numerous studies done on related topics, an association between fluid intake and menstruation has not been found.

Is there a way to make your period end faster?

There are a lot of methods that can help reduce or shorten a period without messing with your hormones or making your body stop its natural cycle. You might consider a few options: going on the pill, using a menstrual cup, taking an herbal supplement, or working out. Each method has its benefits and losses so read on to learn more about your available options.

Can I make my period shorter?

There may be some women who want to shorten the length of their periods for medical  reasons – for example, if they’re going on vacation or staycation and don’t want to deal with their period. In this case, it is possible that a doctor would prescribe a birth control pill that was a little stronger than average. This would “shorten” the length of your period.

Can exercise shorten your period?

Yes. For many women, the pain and bleeding associated with a period is caused by prostaglandin. Prostaglandin is a hormone-like substance that causes muscles, including those of the uterus, to contract. Exercise can reduce the amount of prostaglandin in your body. This makes periods less painful and shortens how long they last.

How do you flush out old period blood?

After your period, some women experience spotting and/or an unusual discharge. As long as it’s not accompanied by pain, this is nothing to worry about. However, it can be rather unsightly and uncomfortable. If spotting is excessive, apply a panty liner.

You can use mild soap or body wash and warm water to clean your vagina. Be gentle, so you don’t cause any irritation.