Experiencing various symptoms during your menstrual cycle and wondering if they are normal? Read on to learn the 5 key factors to evaluate the health of your menstrual cycle.
What is a normal period cycle? And how can you tell if your periods are normal or not?
Based on my research and personal experiences, I’ve discovered that you can identify most any menstrual irregularity simply by observation. And there are five key factors to watch for.
5 Key Aspects of Your Menstrual Cycle
I’ll briefly discuss what’s considered a normal period cycle based on each of these factors, and the common types of menstrual irregularities.
1. Regularity of Your Cycle
Normal:
If your menstrual cycle occurs every 21-35 days, it’s considered normal, as long as it’s consistent from month to month.
Not every woman has her period every 28 days like clockwork.
Irregular Periods:
However, if your cycle varies from month to month, it would be considered irregular, even if it falls within the 21-35 day range.
Early Periods:
If your periods come consistently early, so that your cycle is less than 21 days, it would be considered an early period.
Late Periods:
It would be considered a late period if your periods come consistently late, so that your period cycle is longer than 35 days.
Bleeding Between Periods:
One irregularity is menstrual bleeding that occurs consistently at about the mid-point of the cycle, around the ovulation time. The bleeding may last 1-2 days or longer.
2. The Duration of Your Periods
Normal:
The average duration of menstruation lasts between 3 to 7 days, with the most common duration lasting 5 and 6 days.
Long Periods:
If your menstruation lasts longer than 7 days, it’s considered a long period.
Scanty Periods:
If it lasts less than 3 days, especially with only a small amount of blood, it would be considered a scanty period.
3. The Amount of Bleeding
Normal:
We don’t lose as much blood as many of us may think. The average blood loss during a menstrual cycle is 30-80ml, which is about 2-6 tablespoons.
Heavy Periods (Menorrhagia):
If you have a regular period but your bleeding is heavier than normal, it indicates you are suffering from what is known as menorrhagia (a heavy period).
There are several reasons that can cause heavy bleeding. Some are more serious than others.
If your heavy bleeding is severe enough to interrupt your normal life, I recommend that you see your gynecologist and get a pelvic ultrasound scan to rule out the possibility of fibroids or other more serious menstrual conditions.
Scanty/No Periods (Amenorrhea):
If your bleeding is very light or lasts less than 3 days, it would be considered a scanty period.
And if you miss your period for at least three months, you have what is called amenorrhea (no period).
4. The Quality of Your Blood
Normal:
The normal color of menstrual blood is dark red, lighter at the beginning, deep in the middle, and pinkish at the end of the period. The normal flow is neither too thick nor too thin, and contains no clots.
Abnormal:
If your blood is bright red, pale red, or purplish red with dark clots, it may indicate various conditions of to your blood and hormones.
For more info, read Blood Clots During Period: Is it Normal, What Causes It, and What to Do About It.
5. The Degree of Pain
Normal:
Some mild cramps in the lower abdomen on the first day of your cycle are considered normal.
And you should enjoy a free low of energy, and relatively stable mental and emotional states throughout your menstrual cycle (i.e., no wide swings).
Painful Periods (Dysmenorrhea):
However, if your period cramps are severe and hinder your ability to function, and if they occur before, during, and even after your menstruation, you are likely suffering from what is called dysmenorrhea (painful periods).
For more info, learn the 7 primary causes of painful period and what to do about it.
Prementrual Syndrome (PMS):
If you experience a range of physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral changes in the 1-2 weeks before your menstruation, you may be suffering from a specific pattern of hormonal imbalance called PMS.
Check out the list of PMS symtoms and how to self diagnose if you have PMS.
So why am I tell you all this? And what can you do with this information?
The first step to healing is to become aware.
From me, personally, getting in touch with my menstrual cycle helped me heal my PMS symptoms and painful periods.
And I want to give you some simple yet important parameters to pay attention to when observing your own menstrual cycles.
They will enable you to establish the basis for what’s normal for you and help identify irregularities when they occur.
From there, you’ll be more equipped to seek out relevant resources and professional care to help heal your menstrual disharmonies.
So, is your period cycle normal?
I encourage you to learn to listen to the signals your body has been sending you, identify the causes of the imbalance, and take steps to restore balance in your system.
Recommendations
1. Start tracking your menstrual cycles.
2. Score your menstrual health and get recommendations based on your score.
3. Identify the underlying causes.
Estrogen and progestrone are responsible for regulating your menstrual cycles.
When they are out of balance, you’ll begin to notice abnormality in one or more of these five factors mentioned above.
The imbalance could be due to estrogen dominance, estrogen deficiency, or progesterone deficiency.
Check out if you have signs of estrogen dominance or deficiency and if your progesterone level is normal.
Hi my period was 10 days late and it’s the 7th day and I’m still bleeding it’s heavy but not where it’s inferring with my life why am I still bleeding?
Hi Melissa, It seems that your period is a bit out of norm lately. It’s 10 days late and you’re still bleeding heavily on day 7. It happens to me some time too. A lot of things can affect our periods, such as stress, emotions, diet, life changes, etc. Our body will adapt to cope with these changes. If this pattern repeats and you still have heavy and prolonged bleeding next cycle, you should shedule an appointment to see your doctor, just to make sure there is nothing serious. Meanwhile, check out these top 5 reasons for heavy menstrual bleeding and see if any one applies to you.
I am 39 years old. My last period was July 27 and it ended on July 31. Midway through cycle I got my period again out of the on blue August 10. It is now August 16 and I am still bleeding, not so heavy but brown. This is not the norm for me. My cycles in general range from 27 to 30 days. I am in a committed relationship have sex on a regular basis, no condoms or birth control and do not even use the pull out method. I have never been pregnant and have no children. Can I possibly be pregnant now? Or is something else. I have been very tired and have back pain, but I attribute that to working out etc.. Any advise would be appreciated. Thank you.
Hi Noey, looked like you had light bleeding around mid-cycle and the color was brown. During ovulation when the egg rupture from the follicle, sometimes it can cause bleeding. This is called ovulation bleeding, which is usually harmless. You may want to see if you have signs of early pregnancy, and schedule a visit with your Gynecologist if the bleeding occurs again next cycle.
Hi my last period was from June 17th to June 19th and i had unprotected sex on July 2nd and i still havent received my periods yet,they are always irregular sometimes 39 days,could i be pregnant?
Hi Judy, I understand that you had unprotected sex on day 15 of your menstrual cycle. It could fall into your fertile window and therefore you might have a chance of getting pregnant. However, this may not be accurate since your cycles are irregular. Check to see if you have signs of early pregnancy. And for future reference, here’s how you can calculate ovulation when your periods are irregular.
I came on my period July 6 and I was due to go off on July 11 but I’m still bleeding what could this mean ? Could I have a bad urinary tract infection ?
Hi Laquinta, so you still see menstrual bleeding after day 10 of your cycle? This doesn’t seem normal. Is it a lot of bleeding or just spotting? If it’s spotting, sometimes it could be residual blood trying to be expelled. If it’s a lot of bleeding, you should see your doctor and get it checked out. Another factor to consider is whether this pattern recurs next cycle. If so, you definitely want to see a doctor.
I saw my period on the 25 of last month June and I had sex with my man and when will I be seeing my next menstrual cycle
Hi Loveth, do you have a regular menstrual cycle? How long is it usually, 28-30 days? Having sex during menstruation may or may not affect when your period will arrive.
Had unprotected sex 8 times (no pulling out) without projection right after period. Two weeks after period had another period but it was brown color for a day and then red for two. Hadn’t had a period for 8 weeks thereafter, so can I be pregnant? Breasts were tender for first couple of weeks, a bit moody, eats much and belly a bit bigger. I took a Quickstick test after the early period but it said not pregnant. Could I be pregnant?
Did you take another pregnancy test? What did it say? If you’re not pregnant, try examine other aspects of your lifestyle and see if anything may have contributed to these symptoms. Take care!
I saw my period last month 8 and lasted for 4days since then I and my husband have been meeting am worried cause I want to get pregnant having periods signs again and my breast when squeeze brings liquid why
My period ends on the 2nd of last month and all now I haven’t seen any more period. What could be the caused of it?
Hi, I am getting my periods more than 8 days and its 9th day. And 1st time i am getting periods nine days before this i dose not got 4 months and then i get on 4 may 2018 and now its 12th of may
Hello Jin, your post was extremely helpful to understand. I will be 32 this September. My periods are regular like every 28th day..but it lasts like 2 days and on third day its just very less…is it something to worry… Will it be ok if i plan to conceive after two years may be? i remain stressed due to my work pressure…
Hi i had my periods last month and my cycle is usually 35 days now im supposed to be having period but i have been releasing small dark brown blood for three days now
Hi I had a period in December lasting from the fifth to the 22nd and I started again January 16th and I’m still bleeding. I didn’t have a period all of November and only a two day period in October. Help!!!!
Dear Jing,
I gave birth to my first born on the 8th of January,2017 and since then I’ve not had my period. And Ive been having a thick yellowish discharge. Sometimes I feel that my period is finally coming but, it doesn’t. Its been a year now. Please help me I’m worried.
Hi i got my first period over the summer in june and it stopped….then sept.9 i got ny period and it was normal 5-6 days will it stay normal?
Hi.i’m 18 years old ..i only have 2 days of period in every 1 month..is it ok????
Been having mass on my left side that does not hurt till I press on it.the mass slip from one point to the order for seven years now my menses started become very painful and scanty for months with two days but last month and this month no pain, scanty for five days. Menses color is like still blood and some times red and light or pink .
Hi my last two periods were for four days with brown blood both times, now i have endometriosis and my periods are normally heavy with bit of clotting and it lasts about 7 days with both the use of a tampon and pad as its quite heavy.i am on my periods now and it started with brown blood again and now its going to red. Im confused as in all my life ive never experienced this. Im 35 mother of two toddlers
I’m 20 years old and I menstruate for 8days I want to no e if I have free period