October 05, 2020 5 min read

"INFO: The team previously at hannahpad Canada launched their own new brand, illum! These blog posts have been written when we used to run hannahpad Canada. All information is still relevant and everything is the same! We simply changed the brand that we offer. :slightly_smiling_face: "

 

It’s absolutely normal to want to shorten the duration of your period. After all, though menstruation is a perfectly natural bodily process, many find it to be a source of discomfort as well as a hassle. So the good news is yes, there are ways to help you have a shorter period duration. But we might as well come out and say it now: tampons do NOT shorten your period - quite the contrary actually. And we’ll explore more about that as we go along.

In this article, we will talk about the fundamentals of period cycles and their typical duration along with some ways to shorten your period. Tampons will definitely not work and will actually result in long periods, so we will chat about some other methods that work! 

Without further ado, let’s get started.

A photo of three tampons on a wooden tray beside a bundle of pink flowers

A Brief Look Into Period Durations

Each person experiences periods uniquely. Periods for a person can be naturally light, heavy, long, or short. It’s normal to lose up to 80 ml of blood during one’s period in a span of 2 - 7 days. Furthermore, changes to a period’s duration and heaviness can be normal as well and is not always due to a health problem. 

Like most processes in the body, the duration of an individual’s period is affected by the chemicals you ingest and your overall lifestyle. Additionally, the menstrual products you use will also have some effects. However, if you find yourself experiencing drastic and sudden changes to your period, it will be best to consult a doctor about that.

Why Don’t Tampons Shorten Your Period - And What Menstrual Products Will?

Tampons and Menstrual Cups

The main reason why tampons lead to longer periods is because of how it works. The tampon is designed to be inserted into the vagina where it blocks and soaks up menstrual blood. Though most tampons are designed to be highly absorbent, this method tends to block some of the menstrual flow and could thereforeextend the duration of the bleeding. So what led people to think that tampons shorten one’s period? It’s simply due to the tampon being less noticeable than pads. Therefore, red days go by faster leading some to think that their period has shortened. 

If you’re more intoreusable menstrual products, then you might be wondering about menstrual cups which are used quite similarly to tampons. Well, first it’s important to note that menstrual cups, though also inserted into the vagina, do not block then absorb as tampons do. Menstrual cups serve only as a barrier to catch menstrual blood as it flows. Plenty of users claim that menstrual cups actually help toshorten their periods - however, no clinical study has been done to confirm this. 

Disposable Pads and Organic Reusable Pads

Compared to tampons, using menstrual pads can shorten your period because these allow for the unhampered flow of menstrual blood. Though some claim that usingorganic reusable menstrual pads can shorten one’s period when compared to disposable pads, no clinical study has been done to confirm this phenomenon. However, the lack of harmful chemicals inorganic reusable menstrual pads still makes them aworthy investment for better health

 Three folded reusable pads and one opened resuable menstrual pad with the pattern facing down

What Other Factors Can Shorten Your Period?

So far we’ve covered what menstrual products can actually help. Here are more techniques that you can turn to.  

✔️ Regular Exercise

Exercise is the number one agenda for anyone who seeks a healthier lifestyle. And as an added bonus, it helps to shorten the duration of periods too! The movement of the muscles during an exercise session helps more uterine blood to exit the body, thereby fractionally reducing the duration of a person’s period. 

Additionally, regular exercise helps to avoid obesity - which, as we’ll discusslater, can be a cause for longer periods. 

✔️ Orgasms

There may be no scientific studies so far to equate how much this method helps, but orgasms, in general, can stimulate contractions in the uterus thereby resulting in more menstrual blood leaving the body.  

✔️ Physician-Guided Menstrual Suppression

Of the three we’ve listed here, the methods under menstrual suppression go beyond what’s easy and natural. However, when done under the guidance of a qualified physician, these can be helpful for those who choose them. Furthermore, these techniques don’t only shorten the period but can reduce periods - albeit not 100%. Menstrual suppression methods include:

  • Intrauterine device
  • Combined birth control pills
  • Contraceptive implants
  • Progestin shots

What Factors Lead to Long Periods?

It’s important to note that another way to shorten periods is to rule out the things that can lengthen it.  We’ve established that tampons can be a culprit when it comes to long periods. However, there are other possible culprits to consider:

❌ Obesity

Excess fatty tissue can cause your body to produce more estrogen. This excess estrogen can lead to changes in a person’s period which can include an extended period duration.

❌ Blood Thinners

Though blood thinners do not affect how often a person has their period, these substances can increase the flow of blood, thereby slightly increasing the duration of periods. 

❌ Underlying Health Conditions

Certain health problems can lead to longer period durations and heavier bleeding. It’s best to rule these out straight away if you suspect that a change in your period’s duration is not natural. These include: 

  • Hypothyroidism
  • Adenomyosis (i.e. a uterine condition)
  • Uterine fibroids or polyps (i.e. tissue growth in the uterus)
  • Bleeding conditions (e.g. hemophilia, von Willebrand’s disease)

Where Can I Get Comfortable and Organic Menstrual Pads?

Probably one of the easiest techniques to help shorten your period is the quick switch to pads. By going the extra step and switching to organic cotton menstrual pads, you can save money and enjoy plenty of benefits. Learn all about the reasons why quality reusable pads are a worthy investment in terms of monetary savings, health benefits, and even environmental impact. And here’s a fun fact: you can usereusable cotton menstrual pads as a backup for menstrual cups for totally no-fuss periods. 

If you want to see what sizes of high-quality organic cotton pads are available, go ahead and check outour store. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by going to ourwebsite and clicking on the chat icon - we’d be delighted to hear from you!


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