At school, you might be lucky to get a very basic education on puberty and periods but from my experience, this is often limited to what to do when you bleed and how not to get pregnant. While things have improved in terms of education around the menstrual cycle it still remains a topic that is discussed behind closed doors in hushed voices and via old wives tales.
No.1: A “normal” period happens every 28 days
While textbooks will tell you that a typical menstrual cycle is 28 days long, the last time I checked, not many of us are walking textbooks. In fact a recent study of 124, 648 menstrual cycle app users found that actually only 13% of the 612,613 logged cycles were 28 days in length (1). So don’t stress too much if your cycle length falls on either side of this number as most women will fall between 21-35 days. Periods that occur more often than 21 days or less often than every 35 days in length are reasons to go see your doctor. Irregular periods are common when going through puberty or the peri-menopause and with certain forms of contraception, but can also be a sign of hormonal conditions (such as thyroid problems) and during periods of excessive exercise, restrictive dieting, weight loss or stress.
No.2: Our periods sync with other women we spend time with
Have you ever noticed that you and your female housemate or co-worker were experiencing your period at almost the same time each month? This phenomenon is known as The McClintock effect after researcher Martha K. McClintock published a study in 1971 concluding that women living together synchronise their periods (2). McClinock looked at women living in college dorms together and other studies have since been published finding similar results in other groups of women living together, working together, training together, and in romantic relationships (3). The reason why this happens was thought to be based on chemical phermones but unfortunately, research to date has failed to find conclusive evidence to support this phenomenon and it’s more likely to occur due to probability. Part of me sort of wishes this one was true as it’s a nice idea to think we are that much connected with other women and, almost in solidarity, go through the same experience together but the science doesn’t seem to back it up.
No.3: You shouldn’t exercise on your period
Show of hands who used their period as an excuse to get out of P.E. in school? Guilty. The truth is exercise is completely safe during your period and can make your menstrual symptoms better - not worse. In fact, a recent Cochrane review (an independent review of the evidence) found that both low and high-intensity can offer some relief in the intensity of period pain compared with not exercising (4). It may also offer some reduction in the use of painkillers and taking time off school or work. However exercise was done for 45-60 minutes, three times a week, and it’s unclear if the benefits of exercise last after regular exercise is stopped (TLDR: it may not be enough to just hop into a yoga class only when you’re on your period).
No.4: It's normal to have very painful periods
While most women will experience some discomfort and cramping the days before and during their period, this is often mild and does not disrupt their normal day-to-day activities. However ,some women do experience very painful periods which does interfere with life, causing them to take days off school and work (and often using their annual leave for this reason - not okay!). This is not normal but you would be surprised with the amount of women I come across who have believed that their intense period pains are just part and parcel of being a woman. When it comes to your health, you should not feel like you need to tolerate anything which is painful or abnormal for you. There are several causes for very painful periods including endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids and pelvic inflammatory disease. If you are struggling, please see your GP.
No.5: It’s ok to miss a few periods
It's very common for women to experience a missed period at some point in their reproductive life. Periods can also be infrequent and erratic - particularly during stressful periods of our lives. That’s okay and usually nothing to worry about, however, if it continues to happen consecutively over a few months - that’s when you should go see your doctor.
Secondary amenorrhoea describes period loss in a person who previously had a period but has now stopped for 3-6 months consecutively. Causes for absent periods overlap with irregular periods, as outlined above. Anecdotally, one of the most common reasons women contact me directly is because they’ve lost their period and it’s usually related to extreme exercise, restrictive dieting, weight loss and stress - or a combination of all of the above. Let me be clear, it’s not normal or healthy to lose your period so don’t ignore it. If you are late expecting your period, the first thing to do is to take a pregnancy test if there is any risk of pregnancy. Do keep in mind that no contraceptive is 100% effective, and hence this is important to check before seeing your doctor.
