How long do periods last?

Two days, four days, eight days, sometimes three days, sometimes ten days… Talking with many menstruators over the last few years has taught us that there is not just one way to get your period. We are all different when it comes to menstruation when it comes to the length of our periods . Over the past few months, you've asked us a lot of questions about the length of periods: how long they're normally supposed to last, how often, why it changes, is it normal, and so on. Today's article brings together these questions and offers you our answers.

What you must remember There is no normal when it comes to menstrual cycles: duration, flow, symptoms. We are all different! The key word is to observe your body above all! Periods last on average between 2 and 8 days. The length of the menstrual cycle is between 24 and 32 days. It is considered normal to have irregular cycles (of varying duration) as long as the difference between these durations does not exceed 7 days.

What are the rules exactly?

Before answering the questions you have about the rules, let's recall in a few lines what the rules are. Menstruation appears at puberty and is a sign of the proper functioning of the female reproductive system and the absence of fertilization.

At the start of each female menstrual cycle , an egg develops in the ovarian follicles (follicular phase) before being released (ovulation). The body then prepares to be fertilized, in particular by the thickening of the uterine lining, the endometrium, in order to allow the fertilized egg to settle there (luteal phase). If the egg is not fertilized, it dies and is expelled from the body at the same time as the endometrium: these are the rules. This ballet repeats itself with each menstrual cycle, orchestrated by the different sexual hormones, notably estrogen and progesterone.

What is the so-called “normal” duration of periods?

The “normal” duration of periods is 3 to 8 days. When menstruation is normal, menstruating people lose on average between 25mL and 80mL of blood.

Even more, the duration of periods can vary from one cycle to another for different reasons. As long as the duration of your periods remains within the so-called “normal” durations, there is not necessarily cause for concern. We tell you, a little later in this article, what should alert you (or not).

What are the durations of “abnormal” periods?

When periods last one day and cause almost no blood loss (less than 25mL), it is called hypomenorrhea . On the other hand, we speak of hypermenorrhea or hemorrhagic periods when they last more than 8 days and when they are very abundant, beyond 80mL.

When they persist, these two situations can be a symptom of health problems and mean that you could have difficulty giving birth. This is why they require seeing a doctor, especially if they persist over time (beyond three consecutive cycles) without taking any contraception.

However, don't panic! The notion of normalcy when it comes to periods is chaotic . It is possible that your periods only last 2 days or, on the contrary, they last 10 days, without this being a symptom of a health problem.

And what is the average frequency of periods?

The average frequency of periods , in turn, depends on the length of your menstrual cycle . The length of the menstrual cycle is on average 28 days, but it is considered “normal” when it is between 24 and 32 days. It is also considered “normal” or “typical” to have cycles of irregular length as long as the difference between the durations is less than 7 days (if your cycle lasts 28 days, then 24, then 30, this is considered normal, because the deviation does not exceed 7 days).

What are the so-called “abnormal” cycle times?

Beyond 21 and 24 days we speak of a short menstrual cycle , while we speak of long menstrual cycles when the menstrual cycle exceeds 32 days.

Like “abnormal” period lengths, “abnormal” menstrual cycle lengths over the long term can be a sign of health problems and lead to difficulty getting pregnant. They also require seeing a doctor, general practitioner or specialist (gynecologist in particular), to better understand what is happening and check the causes.

And, just as with “abnormal” period lengths, cycle lengths outside of the average may be completely normal for you and not a sign or cause of any health problem. Each body is unique and has its own functioning; So no need to panic!

Why can the duration and frequency of my periods be disrupted?

There are several reasons why the duration of your periods or their frequency may not be “normal” , or even that they may vary from one cycle to another. We detail them below.

The life events

The length of periods and menstrual cycles is strongly linked to the periods in a woman's life . At puberty, periods are different from what they are at menopause, not to mention pregnancies which can reshuffle the cards! As hormonal variations are particularly strong during these periods, it is obvious that periods are impacted!

Genetics and heredity

As is often the case in health, genetics is king. If your mother and the women in your family all have short periods, it's likely that... you have short periods. And vice versa. So don't hesitate to ask if you feel it: this will be an opportunity to perhaps discover other similarities, such as common premenstrual symptoms!

The random cycle

To use a well-known expression: “Rules have their reasons that reason ignores”. And yes ! The first cause that can explain a change in period cycle or duration is… nothing . For no reason , while everything is going well, you have no health problems, no stress in your life, no particular change, your menstrual cycle can suddenly change. Your PMS is stronger, with the ton of symptoms that come with it, the length of your cycle changes, the length of your period changes. And everything can suddenly return to normal the next cycle, as if nothing had happened. It was just a slightly rougher menstrual cycle like some we experience in our lifetime.

Stress and anxiety

Another reason that can impact the length of your cycles and periods is stress and anxiety . These can act occasionally (if you have a period of high stress, during an exam or a move for example, your cycle may be affected) or chronically (an anxious person, prone to attacks of panic, may see its cycles disrupted). Stress and anxiety indeed have a role on hormones and this can generate more or less significant and more or less lasting disturbances.

The trip

Here's yet another reason that can lead to a sudden disruption of your periods: travel. When you travel, your habits are disrupted. There doesn't even have to be jet lag: the stress and changes in habits associated with travel alone can affect your hormones and change your cycles for a few months.

Sport practice

The practice of sport, and more precisely the intensive practice of sport , can also act. Athletes who exercise at a high level, practicing several training sessions per day, may thus see their periods diminish, or even stop for some of them (amenorrhea). This is explained because sports hormones (dopamine, adrenaline) interfere with sexual hormones and cause their levels to fluctuate, disrupting the precise mechanics of the cycles.

💡 Did you know? Making love and masturbating during your period can have the effect of shortening the duration of your period! Vaginal contractions during orgasm can thus increase the speed of blood flow and reduce periods!

A significant variation in weight and nutritional deficiencies

The significant variation in weight in a short time (increase and loss) can also be linked to a significant change in the duration of periods . It can even lead to amenorrhea (disappearance of periods).

When weight loss is too intense, the body goes into survival mode and may stop ovulation. This is also the case when deficiencies are too significant, particularly in iron: young women with anemia may in fact see their periods stop. In the case of significant weight gain, hormones can fluctuate, causing cycle changes. Diabetes can also be a factor in changing the length of periods.

Use of contraception

Contraception , hormonal or not, can also have a significant effect on the length of periods. Inserting a copper IUD (non-hormonal IUD) is known to increase the duration of periods in many women. Conversely , the periods induced by hormonal contraception (in particular by contraceptive pills) are not “real” periods, their duration may be modified.

Diseases and treatments

The last reason that can cause fluctuations in the duration of periods and menstrual cycles is related to the issue of illness . This, at different levels.

On the one hand, there are diseases strongly linked to hormones and the menstrual cycle which have a direct link with the modification of periods and cycles. We think in particular of endometriosis and PCOS . The first tends to be the cause of long, bleeding periods, while the second tends, on the contrary, to cause a slowdown in ovulation. These two conditions, which together affect around 20% of women (10% each), therefore impact periods and fertility.

On the other hand, diseases that affect the female reproductive organs (uterus, vagina, vulva) can lead to bleeding and changes in cycles: sexually transmitted diseases, cervical cancer, etc.

Finally, medical treatments can affect the duration of periods – whether the illness is serious or not. For example, medications that thin the blood, anticoagulants, can intensify blood flow. Medications that interact with hormones can also have these types of effects.

Our experts answer all your questions about the duration of periods

To provide you with more personalized answers, we have listed the specific questions you sent us and forwarded them to our experts. Still have questions? Send them to us via chat 💬 and social networks, we remain at your disposal!

Is it normal for periods to last 7 days?

It is considered normal that periods can last 7 days . However, this is the high average and, depending on your flow, it can be similar to so-called heavy or even hemorrhagic periods. If you lose more than 80mL of blood as well as blood clots, we recommend that you consult a doctor.

Why do my periods last 1, 2 or 3 days?

Light periods and/or very short periods can be caused by low progesterone levels or thin blood that flows quickly. Below a duration of 2 days of periods in the long term, it may be interesting to consult a doctor to check that everything is fine.

How long do periods last after 40?

As menopause approaches, during perimenopause which begins after the age of 40, we most often notice a change in the duration of periods and the length of cycles. For some postmenopausal people, the menstrual cycle shortens, for others it lengthens. The same goes for the duration of periods. Please note: spotting (loss of blood droplets) can last longer around the period of periods, up to 10 days, in particular because of the drop in hormonal levels.

What are the dangerous days of the menstrual cycle?

The days when you are most likely to get pregnant if you don't protect yourself are the few days around ovulation–this period is also called the fertile window. If the egg has a lifespan of only 24 hours, sperm have a lifespan of 3 days in the female reproductive system. This is why there are 5 dangerous days in a cycle: the 3 days preceding ovulation, the day of ovulation and the day during which the egg moves through the fallopian tubes.

To calculate the dangerous days of your cycle, it is therefore essential to know the day of your ovulation. Regardless of the length of your cycle, ovulation always occurs 14 days before your period. For a so-called “normal” cycle lasting 28 days, ovulation will therefore take place on the 14th day after the start of the period and the dangerous days will therefore be days 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. For a cycle short of 21 days, ovulation will take place on the 7th day after the start of the period and the dangerous days will therefore be days 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. And for a long cycle of 32 days, ovulation will take place the 18th day of the cycle with dangerous days on days 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33. Finally, if your cycles are irregular in length, it will be more difficult to know your dangerous days precisely.

💡 Did you know? You can totally get pregnant while you're still on your period! Protect yourself to limit the risks if you do not want to become pregnant. Means of contraception, male and/or female, are more and more numerous.

Can you trigger your period?

Apart from taking hormones and in particular hormonal contraception which can trigger “false periods”, there is no solution to start your period earlier. Your body can even be playful and deceive you: the more you stress about not having your period, the more you can unintentionally delay your period. Our body really is a troll sometimes! 🧌

And conversely, can you delay your period?

It is possible to delay your period by taking hormonal contraception. Some people therefore opt to take contraception permanently to delay periods, prevent their occurrence during a particular event (sporting competition, wedding) or even stop them completely. This is particularly interesting for people who suffer from endometriosis: stopping periods helps slow down the development of the endometrium! If for a long time the practice of stopping one's periods was frowned upon and criticized (it was thought that it impacted the female reproductive system), studies have recently shown that taking hormones continuously had no more negative effects than taking contraceptive hormones in general. Do not hesitate to talk to your doctor.

How do you know if your period is over?

Periods usually have a fluctuating flow depending on whether it is the beginning or end of the period. Generally, women observe:

• Spotting the first day(s) of period
• Abundant flow
• Flow decreasing
• End of period spotting

This variation in flow necessarily varies from one woman to another: some women experience a significant flow from the first day while others just have spotting throughout their periods. Have you already been told in this article that normality is a particular concept when it comes to periods?

Also, if your periods are generally of a fixed duration and have a fixed flow pattern (spotting / heavy flow / flow that subsides / spotting), there is a good chance that the spotting that comes after a heavier flow is the mark of the end of your period.

To make sure you don't miss out, we recommend that you wear your sanitary protection until the last drops of blood. Among the disposable protections, you will find tampons and panty liners for light flow/spotting. Among the non-disposable protections, you will find menstrual panties for medium or light flow and you can continue to wear your cup (or menstrual cup) even at the end of the cycle.

I want these panties >

🌈 On our e-shop, we love the Jho brand menstrual cup , perfect for beginners with its stem which allows it to be easily removed. Made from 100% medical silicone and made in France, it is perfect! When it comes to menstrual cups, the size is not so much linked to the flow as to your vagina: size 1 will probably suit you more if you have never given birth vaginally while size 2 will certainly suit you more if you have already given birth vaginally.

I want this menstrual cup >

When to worry about an abnormal duration of your periods?

Generally, menstrual cycles being particularly sensitive, we tend to recommend worrying about an abnormal duration of periods when the change proves to be lasting (beyond 3 consecutive cycles).

In other words, we recommend that you consult a general practitioner if:

your period lasts less than 2 days or more than 8 days;

• you lose less than 25mL of blood or more than 80mL of blood during your period (testing the menstrual cup over a few cycles is a good way to determine the amount of blood you lose during a cycle);
• your periods have recently changed – they have become very short or very long – and this change seems to have set in: you have been experiencing periods different from what you knew before for more than 3 or 4 months.
• you have bleeding between your periods , at different times of your cycle;
• you have not had your period for more than three cycles (and the pregnancy tests are negative);

As we have mentioned several times in this article, these changes in the length of your periods are not necessarily serious – on the contrary: many benign reasons can explain it! This is why you should not be alarmed. Consulting will allow you to have reasons for the changes and/or to rule out negative causes.

✋ It is possible that your general practitioner or specialist cannot find any reason that could explain an abnormal duration of periods. The durations proposed here are averages: some people can deviate significantly without their health being in danger or their fertility being damaged. As long as all examinations are carried out and all risks are ruled out, there is no need to worry! Your body is just a little different from everyone else!

How to track and calculate the date of your next period?

As a menstruator, knowing when your period is due and having an idea of ​​how long it will last is essential to being able to organize yourself. This also allows you to reassure yourself when you have had unprotected/poorly protected sex (we will never tell you enough to protect yourself but let's be honest, accidents do happen!). Doing this monitoring is also important for your health: it is because you follow your menstrual cycle that you will be able to spot changes in the long term.

For this, several solutions are within your reach:

• Identify your ovulation and count the days from its occurrence: there are always 14 days between your ovulation and your period. Also, if you know how to spot your ovulation, you will be able to anticipate the day of your period!

Keep a logbook: directly on your paper or digital diary or on a paper diary, you can record the first day of your period, their duration, your ovulation, etc. Keeping this diary will allow you to have a clear view of your cycle, on the duration of your periods, your flow, their progress and so on. You will also be able to note your premenstrual symptoms and get an idea of ​​your premenstrual syndrome.

Use an online tracking application: menstrual cycle tracking applications , available on the phone, allow you to clearly monitor your menstrual cycles. Often used by women who wish to give birth (especially because they specify the periods of ovulation and fertility), they are very good tools for tracking your cycles and recording your symptoms. We recommend them because they are more practical than a notebook and allow you to summarize your menstrual cycles (sometimes against payment).