The human body is complex as it is, make it four times more complex and behold the female biology. One thing that makes women’s bodies complicated is their role as a mother. The reproductive system in women makes their lives both important and complicated. Unlike men, women have to go through the menstrual cycle which ends in them having a bleeding period which in itself is confusing for a lot of women. There might be a small number of women who have mastered controlling the ailments and pains of having a period. There are also a lot of myths surrounding the female period. We are here to add much needed knowledge to your period preparedness with these amazing facts about periods-
1. Periods get worse with cold climate
This fact might not be known to all but might be troubling most women during the winter season. Cold weather tends to make periods worse, by making them more intense and longer. Summertime causes more hormone secretion and timely ovulations which causes the periods to be of controlled timings. However, cold weather makes the body work less on fluid and hormonal secretion. Hence, winter season tends to cause longer periods, which in turn causes heavier bleeding. Due to the cold, oxygen supply to all muscles is lessened naturally, causing more period cramps. You may try to sleep in colder air conditioning for a day and with warmer blankets for another and feel the difference. The troublesome thing is that we have to stay inside for most of the day with linger nights. This affects the moods and causes more intense PMS symptoms like mood swings and food cravings.
2. You can get pregnant on your period too
For a long time, there has been a myth going around that having sex on your periods will not get you pregnant. The facts say otherwise! Even though it is difficult to get pregnant while your uterus is flushing out period blood, it is not completely impossible to get a bread in the oven. Human sperm cells can survive for 5-6 days in the body and can impregnate you even after your menstrual bleeding stops. So, if you have a shorter cycle and you usually ovulate right after your period, it is possible to get pregnant by having sex on the last day of your period. And no, babies conceived while on the period are not born with pinkish skin.
3. Girls now start getting period at a younger age
The average age that one gets period used to be more during the 1800s and 1900s. However, over the century, the average age to begin getting menstruation has changed drastically. In the Middle Ages and well into the modern world, the average age at which girls got there first period was 17. Whereas in the current decade, the average age at which girls are getting their period is 12 years, 5 years earlier than they used. The reason behind it is the kind of food and stress levels in life. The girls in the earlier centuries were eating lot less fatty and processed foods than they do now, if fact they were not eating much to begin with. Girls now have easy access to all sorts, fried food, processed sugars and excessively fatty foods. A higher amount of fats in the body accelerates the secretion of oestrogen, the hormone which starts and controls periods. The girls now get a sooner development of oestrogen secretors because of more fats in the body.
4. A woman spends nearly 10 years of their lives having periods
Quite a painfully long time for a painful process but it is true. Most women are going to spend at least 10 years of their lives on menstrual cycles. The average woman has at least 450 periods in their entire life, each period goes to about 3-4 days, which brings it to around 3,500 days in total- almost 10 years of bleeding and cramps. But that’s what makes you strong and special.
5. It is fairly affordable and easy to have eco-friendly periods
A lot of women feel that their period supplies are harming the planet. It is fair to think so as most of the tampons and napkins tend to have some amount of plastic and non-compostable material in them. However, it is very much possible to stop the waste produced by your period by simply using reusable period panties. For the modern women, it is also possible to have a easier solution. Try out the Reusable Menstrual Cup by Namyaa, which is affordable and can be used for years before replacing.
6. There is lot less blood lost than appear during periods
On the heavy flow days, it is normal to see too much blood and be scared about losing too much of it. For some women it is more psychological to feel giddy at the sight blood but technically the volume seems more as it is blood mixed with amniotic fluid from your uterus. The amount of actual blood lost is only between 3 tablespoons to 1 small cup. However, if you feel too weak after heavy flow days, be sure to consult your gynaecologist.
7. You sound and smell different during your period
Studies done on women’s vocals has shown that the vocal cords of a woman change in vibration when she is on her period. The reproductive hormones affect the vocal cords during the periods which can make you sound hoarse and unattractive, signalling that the body is not ready to copulate and reproduce at the time. Periods also make you smell unattractive for the same reason; the natural pheromones return afterwards to attract your partner for reproduction.
There are almost no ifs or buts in the average woman. Almost all women will have the same bodily function and at a time, the same bodily functions will be working in millions of women at the same time. There can be end number of arguments how men and women are not so different and women can be the same as men, the facts say otherwise. Men and women have a vast difference between them, both psychologically and biologically. Women think more according to present needs, men go for future results. Women have a much in tune biological clock which helps their sleeping cycle, whereas men have trouble with their circadian rhythms. Women’s hormonal balances are much more delicate than men and tend to change as per their menstrual cycle. Men’s hormones change according to the activities they do and the diet they maintain.
