How to Make Your Period Lighter

Periods can be a pain in the - well, you get it. Heavy periods (also known as menorrhagia) can be a sign of your luck in the genetic draw, a result of what you're experiencing in life (giving birth, giving up the pill, etc.), or they can be something more serious from a health perspective, such as a disease, disorder, or a miscarriage. When seeking to lighten a period, it's important to deal with the possible health or lifestyle issues involved first, just to be reassured that there's nothing wrong with you. 

Heavy or prolonged periods can be uncomfortable, but for some women they may be downright disabling, making it difficult to do everyday activities. If you experience heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, you may have wondered what could be causing your condition, known as menorrhagia.

What Is Menorrhagia?

Menorrhagia is the medical term doctors use to describe heavy menstrual bleeding or periods that last an unusually long time. It's normal to lose about 2 to 3 tablespoons of blood during your period. And the average woman's period lasts 4 to 7 days. But losing twice as much blood as normal or having a period that lasts longer than 7 days may be a sign of menorrhagia.

What Are the Symptoms of Menorrhagia?

• Women who suffer from menorrhagia may experience one or all of these distressing symptoms:
• Blood clots in menstrual flow
• The need to change tampons or pads every hour for several hours
• The need to get up at night to change tampons or pads
• The need to double up on products (e.g., wear a tampon and a pad at the same time)
• Fatigue from anemia due to excess blood loss

What Causes Heavy Periods?

• Menorrhagia can be caused by a variety of factors, many of which aren't serious. Causes of menorrhagia may include:
• Hormone imbalances
• Implantable birth control devices
• Disorders of the reproductive system, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine fibroids, uterine polyps, endometriosis
• Pelvic infections or tumors
• Liver or kidney problems
• Pregnancy complications
• Thyroid disease
• Bleeding disorders (rare)

If you try to see lightening your heavy period as being about making it more bearable, and managing it well, then it might be a bit easier for you to cope with heavy periods. While there are a number of things you can do try and lighten heavy periods, sometimes it may be about changing your approach to it.

How to Make Your Period Lighter

No woman enjoys having her period, but having a heavier period generates an even larger groan from women across the world. The medical term for a period that entails excessive bleeding is menorrhagia. A heavy period is one that lasts longer than a week, interferes with your daily life and includes blood clots. Luckily, there are some things a woman can do to lighten her menstrual flow.

Visit your doctor to rule out other health problems that may be causing heavy bleeding during your cycle. Fibroids, endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease are some conditions associated with heavy periods.

Talk to your doctor about going on birth control. Birth control pills help to regulate your period and cause you to have shorter, lighter periods.

Exercise consistently. The healthier your body is, the more regular and lighter your period will be.

Take vitamins. Vitamins will also make your body healthier, and in turn regulate your period.

Change your pad or tampon every 2 to 3 hours. While this will not actually make your period lighter, you will feel as if it is lighter.

Consider a hysterectomy. Some women with heavy periods opt for this surgery to eliminate their period. However, this surgery is for women who are finished having children or do not wish to have any.