All You Need To Know About Periods And The Menstrual Cycle

In simple terms, a period is the release of blood from a person’s uterus through their vagina. Most young girls and people with a womb have their first period between the ages 10 and 15. A period happens because of hormonal changes in the body. Periods are part of a complex process — the menstrual cycle. In this article, we’ll go over the most important factors related to your monthly cycle, including the four menstrual phases, the physical and mental symptoms associated with periods, and how to take proper care of yourself.

Periods vs menstrual cycle: what’s the difference?

Some of us tend to use the terms “periods” and “menstrual cycle” interchangeably, but please note that they aren’t the same. Aunt Flo, the course of Dracula, the Crimson Tide, or, simply, your period is your monthly bleeding. When you menstruate, your body expels the monthly building of the lining of your uterus (your womb). So a combination of menstrual blood and tissue flows from your uterus through the small opening of your cervix and flows out of your vagina.

But your period is an integral part of a complex process — the menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle is the monthly hormonal cycle your body goes through in order to prepare for pregnancy. Many glands and hormones control the menstrual cycle. The hypothalamus, a brain structure, causes the nearby pituitary gland to produce certain chemicals that make the ovaries produce the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Your monthly cycle is counted from the first day of your period up to the first day of your next period. The length of the menstrual cycle varies from person to person, but the average is 28 days. Anything longer or shorter (21 to 40 days) is also considered regular. Your cycle may be considered irregular if the gap between your periods keeps changing.

Menstrual cycle phases

The menstrual cycle is divided into 4 phases: the follicular phase, ovulation, the luteal phase, and menstruation.

The follicular phase

The follicular phase starts on the first day of menstruation and ends with ovulation, which we will discuss shortly. The hypothalamus sends a special signal to the pituitary gland, prompting the release of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone). This hormone stimulates the ovary, which produces between 5 to 20 follicles. Each follicle contains an immature egg, but only one will eventually mature. The maturing follicles stimulate the lining of the uterus to thicken in preparation for a possible pregnancy.

Ovulation

Ovulation is when the ovary releases a mature egg to be fertilized by a sperm. This typically happens two weeks or so before your period (if you are regular) and it is the only time during the menstrual cycle when you can get pregnant. The egg, which has been funneled into the fallopian tube and toward the uterus, can only live for 24 hours. If it isn’t fertilized, it will eventually die.

If you are planning to have a baby or do not want to get pregnant, keeping track of your ovulation and “fertile window” can be beneficial.

The luteal phase

After releasing the egg, the follicle transforms into a structure called the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum releases progesterone and small amounts of estrogen. These hormones keep the uterine lining thick and ready for a fertilized egg to implant. Two things may happen:

If you get pregnant, hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) will be produced. This hormone is important as it is detected by pregnancy tests and it helps to maintain the thickened lining of the uterus.

If you don’t get pregnant, the corpus luteum simply shrinks and dies, and your menstruation begins, repeating the cycle. During this phase, up to 75% of women and menstruating people experience PMS (premenstrual syndrome), a series of physical and emotional symptoms.

Menstruation

Let’s recap! Menstruation (a.k.a your period) is the elimination of the thickened lining of the uterus from your body through your vagina. Your period can last 3 to 7 days. The bleeding tends to be heavier in the first 2 days. You’ll lose about 5 to 12 teaspoons of blood during your period, but it’s common to bleed more heavily than this. Fortunately, there are many options to deal with period blood. If you are new to periods, you may need to experiment a bit to find which choice works best for you. Some options include:

• Pads

  Pads are made of cotton and come in many different shapes and sizes. They have a sticky side you attach to your underwear to hold them in place. One side of the pad is made of a material that absorbs the blood.

• Tampons

  If you practice sports or go for a swim, tampons are a better option. A tampon is a small tube of cotton wool that you put into your vagina. Your vagina holds the tampon firmly in place — it will expand inside you and soak up the blood before it comes out of your body. Most tampons come with instructions that explain how to use them, make sure to read them carefully! Change your tampon every 4 to 8 hours to avoid a serious infection called toxic shock syndrome.

• Menstrual cups

  A menstrual cup is made from silicone. You insert it in your vagina so it collects the blood until you empty it. Menstrual cups are a more eco-friendly choice as you won’t have to throw your cup away after using it. You can simply wash it and use it again.

• Period underwear

  Another eco-friendly choice. Period underwear is actually very much like underwear, it’s made from cotton and comes in all sorts of styles. The key difference is that it has a built-in pad that absorbs the blood.

In addition to bleeding, it is also possible to experience pain in the lower abdomen that can spread to the lower back and legs (dysmenorrhea). Periods don’t last forever though!

When periods stop…

You may skip your period for 1 or 2 months, or experience amenorrhea (no period for 3 or more months in a row) in the following cases:

• Recently started periods

  A young person who has just begun their monthly cycles may go months without periods or a regular pattern.

• Pregnancy

  Your periods stop unexpectedly when you are pregnant. Why? Because your body is smart! When you are pregnant, hormonal levels increase, maintaining the thickened lining inside the uterus and preventing it from being shed. This is crucial because the developing embryo (the future baby) is embedded in the uterine lining that would otherwise become the period blood. If you had your period, the embryo would be washed out of the uterus. Luckily, when the egg is fertilized, progesterone levels remain high, keeping the uterine lining in place.

• Breastfeeding

  Your periods may be light, infrequent, or absent when you are breastfeeding your baby. This happens because prolactin, the hormone that causes you to produce milk, also stops your ovulation and period. Some people believe that this is a form of birth control, but it isn’t! You can still get pregnant while breastfeeding. If you aren’t ready for another child, make sure to use contraception.

• Contraceptive pill

  You might miss a period every now and then if you’re taking birth control pills. This is nothing to worry about! Your periods shall return once you stop taking these contraceptives.

• Other medications

  In addition to birth control pills, certain medications can delay or make you miss your period. Some of them include antidepressants, thyroid medications, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, and chemotherapy medications.

• PCOS

  Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a rare condition characterized by: missed periods, irregular periods, or very light periods. Polycystic ovaries have lots of harmless follicles, which are underdeveloped sacs where eggs develop. If you have PCOS, these sacs are often unable to release an egg, which means ovulation does not take place.

• Menopause

  You’ll have regular periods until perimenopause, the time when your body begins transitioning to menopause. During this transition, which can take a few years, your periods may become irregular. Then, your periods will stop for 12 months in a row — this is what’s known as menopause. On average, menopause occurs between the ages of 45 to 55.

Menstrual symptoms

In addition to amenorrhea (absence of periods), it’s common to experience the following issues.

PMS

1 or 2 weeks before your period, hormonal events may trigger a series of emotional or physical symptoms, including:

• bloating
• headaches
• breast soreness
• constipation
• diarrhea
• mild stomach cramps
• backaches
• acne
• food cravings
• excessive fatigue
• irritability
• depression
• anxiety
• stress
• insomnia

Dysmenorrhoea

Dysmenorrhoea or painful periods are caused by uterine contractions. The pain usually begins 1 or 2 days before getting your period or once bleeding starts. You may feel mild to severe pain in your lower abdomen, back, or thighs. You might also have other symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.

Heavy periods

Heavy periods or menorrhagia is another common menstrual issue. You may bleed more than usual and have longer periods. Heavy periods are typically caused by hormonal imbalances of progesterone and estrogen.

When to see a doctor

If your PMS or any other menstrual-related issue interferes with your everyday life, please get in touch with your doctor. Depending on the range and severity of the symptoms, your doctor or healthcare provider will determine the best types of treatment for you.

Natural ways to alleviate PMS and menstrual symptoms

You can take over-the-counter pain relievers to soothe mild dysmenorrhea and headaches. In addition, you can use the following natural remedies and activities.

• Around your period, avoid foods and drinks that cause water retention, bloating, and discomforts such as alcohol, carbonated drinks, caffeine, and fatty, salty, and processed foods.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to reduce the intensity of abdominal cramps.
• Try low-to-medium intensity aerobic exercise to reduce cramps and boost your mood.
• Take a warm bath to surround your pelvic muscles with the warmth they need to relax.
• Practice yoga to alleviate pain and boost feelings of well-being.
• Massage your belly with essential oils to relieve pain.

Beginning.com and your menstrual cycle

Beginning.com supports you in every step of your life journey, from your reproductive years to menopause and beyond. That’s why our team of experts has created an interactive tool to help you take proper care of your health and well-being. Our app offers plenty of interactive features to help you learn about your body while taking care of yourself. Discover our:

Trackers

Keep track of your menstrual cycle, including your period and ovulation days. This will help you learn about your period’s frequency and length, and also help you see patterns in your physical symptoms and mood changes. Monitoring your monthly cycle will help you know which days you are most likely to get pregnant. Most importantly, being familiar with your cycle can help you detect any potential health issues. Because your cycle is a good indicator of your overall health, identifying any changes or irregularities can alert you of any problems.

Simply log your dates on Beginning.com and start tracking! You’ll be able to record your physical symptoms.

Feed

Nourish your mind with knowledge. Check out Beginning.com’s daily feed for masterclass and blog post recommendations.

Sound journeys

Did you know that stress can worsen your symptoms before and during your period? According to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions, people who report feeling stressed early in their monthly cycle experience more intense symptoms linked to PMS and menstruation, including mood swings, irritability, anxiety, bloating, lower back pain, and cramping.

While reducing stress will not eliminate your PMS and menstrual symptoms, it can help you cope better. Beginning.com has created the ultimate sound therapy experience to support your well-being throughout the menstrual cycle. Meet Zen Period a series of “sound journeys” designed to help you:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Significantly improve sleep quality
• Increase your motivation
• Boost your mood
• Successfully cope with pain and discomfort

Each sound journey features authentic nature sounds and original compositions recorded with three-dimensional sound equipment. As you listen through headphones, the immersive sounds will take your mind to a state of deep relaxation. Within this state, you’ll be able to de-stress, connect with positive emotions, and distance yourself from any physical sensations of pain and discomfort.

What else can you learn about your menstrual cycle?

Hopefully, you’ve discovered a thing or two about your periods and menstrual cycle while reading this blog. Of course, you can keep enriching your knowledge every day! Make sure to track your monthly cycle using Beginning.com and check our content for even more factual and insightful information.