- "Day 1" of your cycle is the first day you bleed.
- Your cycle length is the number of days between day 1 of one period to day 1 of the next period.
You can keep track of your cycle length on your personal calendar, or you can try using an app. From a data privacy perspective, the most secure option for tracking your period is to use pen and paper. If you want to use an app, Euki is one you can try.
A "normal" menstrual cycle or period is different for everyone.
Some general rules of thumb:
- You should get a period about once a month, but the range of a ânormalâ cycle length is once every 24 to 38 days.
- Your cycle length should be around the same every month but may differ by up to nine days between months.
- A period should last less than eight days.
- "Heaviness" of the period is subjective, but a "normal" flow is one that doesn't negatively impact your quality of life.
Sometimes your usual menstrual cycle gets thrown off by things like stress, travel, illness, or heavy exercise. Let us know if changes in your cycle continue for more than a couple months.
Hormonal contraception (like the pill, the IUD, etc.) can also alter your normal menstrual cycle. This is very common and not typically concerning.
If your period is late and there's any chance you may be pregnant, take a pregnancy test.
Reach out to us or another medical provider if:
- Your bleeding is so heavy you see large blood clots or it negatively impacts your quality of life each month.
- Your cramps are not manageable with over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen or naproxen.
- You bleed for more than eight days in a row.
- You have bleeding between periods.
- Your cycle length suddenly changes after being regular for a long time.
- You don't get at least one period every 40 days.
There are some "normal" patterns for your menstrual cycle. Everyone is different, and your period can be affected by many things.
