For most women, getting their period is an unwelcome monthly visitor that overstays its welcome. Those crampy, bloated, bleeding days can feel endless when all you want is for your period to be over. If you’re desperately googling “how to make your period end faster,” you’re not alone. Luckily, there are some science-backed ways to potentially speed things up a bit.
The Science Behind the Length of Menstrual Bleeding
Before we dive into how to make your period end faster, it’s helpful to understand what’s happening in your body during menstruation. The average period lasts between 3-7 days, with the heaviest flow occurring in the first few days.
Your period starts when the uterine lining sheds through the vagina if an egg released from the ovary doesn’t get fertilized that cycle. Once all the built-up lining is shed, the bleeding stops until the uterus begins building it back up for the next cycle.
The amount of time you spend bleeding depends on factors like diet and vitamin levels, hormonal birth control use, uterine fibroid presence, blood clotting ability, and overall reproductive health. Knowing what’s normal for your cycle can help determine if yours is lasting longer than it should.
With that context, let’s look at some tips for how to make your period end faster.
How to Make Your Period End Faster Overnight?
While there’s no surefire way to stop your period in its tracks, these overnight remedies could help make your period shorter:
Exercise regularly: Staying active can help expel compacted blood and lining more quickly. Low-impact exercises like walking, swimming, or yoga are best. Moving your body increases blood flow and muscle contractions that can push out more uterine contents.
Boost vitamins: Make sure you’re getting enough vitamin C, B1, and omega-3s which are linked to lighter flow. Load up on citrus, greens, nuts/seeds, and fish. Vitamin C is an anti-inflammatory that can regulate progesterone levels impacting flow. B vitamins like B1 also play a role in hormone regulation.
Apply heat: Taking a warm bath or using a heating pad can temporarily boost blood flow to help shed the uterine lining faster. The warmth promotes better circulation and relaxes cramped muscles to allow more efficient shedding.
Have an orgasm: The intense muscle contractions from an orgasm actually expel more contents from the uterus in the short-term. Those uterine movements can push out blood and lining more quickly after climax.
The effects may be subtle, but adding some of these tips to your overnight routine could pay off in slightly shorter periods.
How to Make Your Period End Faster Naturally
If you want to avoid medications, certain natural remedies and lifestyle changes may help shorten your period:
Up your vitamin C: In addition to being anti-inflammatory, vitamin C helps break down progesterone that thins the uterine lining for a lighter flow. Try supplementing with 500-1000mg per day or eating more citrus fruits, bell peppers, broccoli and tomatoes.
Sip raspberry leaf tea: An excellent source of vitamin C and the uterine compound fragrine which helps tone and increase contractions of the uterine muscles. Stronger contractions expel blood faster.
Use herbal supplements: Herbs like ginger, cinnamon, feverfew, and ginseng have anti-inflammatory properties that could reduce prostaglandins and shorten bleeding. Look for reputable brands.
Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight increases estrogen production which can lead to heavier, longer periods. Stick to a nutritious diet and exercise regimen to stay at a moderate BMI.
Avoid alcohol/smoking: Both alcohol and nicotine negatively impact menstrual flow. The toxins can prolong and aggravate bleeding, so minimize intake of both for shorter periods.
Manage stress: High levels of the stress hormone cortisol can delay your period ending, so make relaxation a priority. Try yoga, meditation, massage or other calming practices.
Making some simple nutritional swaps and overall lifestyle adjustments may provide a bit of natural period relief. Listen to your body when trying new remedies. Remember that how to make your period end faster depends on your unique menstrual patterns.
Conclusion
While you can’t necessarily stop your period in its tracks, there are science-backed ways to potentially shorten the duration of your monthly bleeding. Many experts recommend dietary changes like boosting vitamin C, B vitamins and omega-3s along with anti-inflammatory herbal supplements to help make your period end faster.
Other methods that could curb cramping and bleeding include exercise, heat therapy, orgasms and hormone-balancing solutions. However, every woman’s cycle is different, so what works for others may not produce drastic period results for you. Be patient, and don’t hesitate to talk to your gynecologist if you have concerns about heavy or extremely lengthy periods. With time and careful experimentation, you may find the ideal natural solution for how to make your period end faster.