If women are on oral contraceptive agents (the pill) their periods often shorten and lighten.
1. Orgasm. - Having an orgasm, either through intercourse or masturbation, can reduce cramping and menstrual flow. This is because orgasms generate uterine muscle contractions, which help to move menstrual blood from the uterus.
These contractions help the uterus shed the blood faster.
2. Exercise regularly.- Maintaining a cardiovascular exercise routine not only promotes overall health, but also helps lighten your menstrual flow. It may also reduce the number of days you have your period. Exercising can lessen water retention, which may alleviate bloating and reduce cramps.
Speak with your doctor about the best exercise plan for you. Excessive exercise can reduce too much body fat, which can lower your body mass index (BMI) to an unhealthy range.
In the long term, excessive exercise patterns can adversely affect your hormonal health and cause you to stop menstruating, which have a negative impact on your reproductive health.
3. Get the right nutrients. - Certain micronutrients, such as B vitamins, are essential to your overall health. Some can even ease up your periods while alleviating PMS symptoms.
Vitamin B6 is one of the nutrients that can affect your periods. It’s found naturally in foods such as eggs, fish, and poultry. Vitamin B6 has been found to increase progesterone while decreasing estrogen in the bodyTrusted Source. This can help improve pituitary gland function to normalize menstrual hormones.
One studyTrusted Source found that zinc, an essential mineral, was helpful in alleviating painful period cramps (dysmenorrhea). It’s thought that zinc has similar effects as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen.
Study participants reported relief from cramps when they took 30 mg doses of zinc up to three times per day. You can also make sure to get enough zinc-rich foods in your diet, such as meat, legumes, and dairy.
Magnesium is another mineral that can potentially help alleviate long, painful periods because of its anti-cramping effects. One study found that a combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 was helpful in alleviating symptoms of PMS.
Talk to your doctor before taking any supplements to treat your periods. In the meantime, make sure you get enough magnesium in your diet via nuts, seeds, greens, and fish.
4. Try clinically-proven herbal remedies. - Certain herbal remedies may also help alleviate long and painful menstruation. More research is needed to back up herbal remedies, but it’s worth talking to your doctor about. Some of the most promising herbs for menstruation include:
* fennel, which has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce PMS symptoms and decrease the length of blood flow during your period
* ginger, which can help alleviate heavy bleeding
* myrtle fruit syrup to reduce heavy menstruation
* raspberry leaf, which has muscle-relaxing properties that may reduce uterine contractions.
5. Stay hydrated. - When it comes to easing up your menstruation symptoms, staying hydrated is key.
If your water intake is below eight glasses a day, give yourself a boost during your period—this will help you experience fewer cramps and back aches. It can help move your cycle along more quickly, too. Drinking water helps prevent blood from thickening.
6. Hormonal birth control. - Oral birth control pills, hormonal IUDs, birth control implants, and birth control injections can be used to regulate your cycle. Hormonal birth control can also decrease cramping and shorten the number of days you menstruate each month. If you’re just starting hormonal birth control, it may take several months before your periods become shorter.
Some kinds of hormonal contraception can reduce the number of menstrual cycles you have each year. For example, if you receive the Depo-Provera shot, you may stop having periods after the first year of injections. Many people also experience changes to their menstrual cycle after having an IUD implanted.
7. Maintain a healthy weight. - Weight fluctuations can affect your periods by making them inconsistent, as is the case with missed periods and low body fat. On the opposite side of the spectrum, it’s also possible to have heavier flows if you are overweight, or if you’re having difficulty maintaining your BMI.
In fact, obese women are at an increased risk of having heavier periods. Some women may even experience heavy, painful symptoms for weeks at a time. This is attributed to increased estrogen production from fat cells, which can make cycles heavier and longer.
If you’ve experienced heavy periods, you may want to speak with your doctor about possible hormone testing. They can also help give you some tips to lose weight safely and gradually, if you need to.
While this may not offer a short-term solution for ending your period faster now, taking steps to manage your weight will pay off for future menstrual cycles.
How do you make your period lighter ASAP?
