In our early teens we start our menstrual cycle, and like it or lump it,  it’s with us until that next fun stage, Menopause. For most of this time, it’s just a monthly nuisance, but when it comes to our reproductive years, understanding one’s cycle and getting help if it’s not “normal” is crucial… but what IS normal?

Well, let’s start with length.

A normal cycle lasts 21 to 35 days, with a 3-day difference each month.

Any shorter/longer than this, or cycles that vary greatly in length are considered irregular and may be a sign of a hormonal issue like PCOS, thyroid dysfunction or HPA axis disruption.

How long should you bleed for?

Some lucky ladies get away with 2 days, but on average most bleed for 5 days is can be normal to last up to 7. It’s important to note that you only count days where there is flow. Spotting before/after, plus the days of brown discharge don’t count when calculating how long your period is.

How heavy is normal?

On average women lose 30-40mls of blood each period, but it can be up to double this. Normal is considered needing to change your tampon/pad/cup every 3-4 hours on your heavy days and rarely ever leaking.

Heavier bleeding than this is called menorrhagia and can be caused by hormonal disorders as above, as well as other causes including structural uterine causes like fibroids, polyps, adenomyosis or a bleeding disorder.

Pain –

A normal period unfortunately isn’t necessarily pain free, but women should only be experiencing cramping/backache for 1-2 days, which should respond to simple analgesia (paracetamol/ibuprofen) and should not impact their ability to go to work/school or exercise.

If the pain is worse than this it’s called dysmenorrhea and you should see your GP for assessment to see if there is anything that may be causing the dysmenorrhea (i.e. endometriosis, adenomyosis) and to get an appropriate treatment plan.

So if your cycle is not “normal” book into see your GP, there’s lots that can be done.