25 Little-Known Facts About Your Period

1. It’s a biological fact that menstruating makes you less attractive to men.

A man’s testosterone levels are directly affected by a woman’s scent, which changes during a menstrual cycle. One study where men sniffed the T-shirts of women who were ovulating showed the men’s testosterone levels spike, while testosterone decreased when they sniffed T-shirts of women who weren’t ovulating. Another study showed that strippers make twice as much in tips when they’re ovulating than when they’re on their period.

2. It’s also a biological fact that menstruating makes you hornier.

The hormone progesterone is said to lower a woman’s libido. Yet while menstruating women produce less progesterone, which makes them likelier to crave sex during this phase.

3. The average total amount of blood lost during a period is anywhere from two tablespoons to half a cup.

The average amount of blood lost during a menstrual phase is around three tablespoons. This includes blood clots. Any blood loss totaling a cup or more could be the sign of a serious medical problem.

4. Women in Western cultures will experience about 450 periods over their lifetime.

This stands in contrast to prehistoric women, who only menstruated about 50 times over the course of their lives. It also contrasts with modern women in agrarian regions, who only menstruate about 150 times total. The inescapable conclusion is that capitalism and Western civilization lead to increased menstruation.

5. The average woman will spend nearly ten years of her life menstruating.

In other words, about 3,500 days of the average woman’s life will be spent “on the rag.”

6. The average woman will use nearly 11,000 tampons over her lifetime.

You could build a house with that many used tampons, although it’s probably not advisable.

7. You can use tampons and still be a virgin.

Since tampons are thankfully smaller and thinner than most penises, a girl can safely insert one inside her vagina without rupturing her hymen. Besides, one loses one’s virginity by having sex, not by breaking their hymen.

8. Most girls get their first period around age 12.

It varies of course, but the age of 12 is an average launching pad for a girl and her period pads. She will continue menstruating until around age 50.

9. In olden days, girls didn’t used to get their first period until around age 16 or 17.

In the 1800s, the average girl did not get her first period until well into her teens. It is thought that girls reach puberty earlier these days due to a combination of better nutrition and increased stress.

10. It is perfectly normal to have irregular periods up until about age 18.

It usually takes girls a few years before their menstrual cycle settles into a regular pattern. Early menstrual cycles can be very short (21 days) or very long (45 days), but they usually even out around the age of 18.

11. The average menstrual cycle is slightly shorter than one month.

Although it is commonly believed that a woman’s cycle is determined by the monthly phases of the moon, on average it lasts about 28-29 days—which makes it perfect for February but a little short for all other months.

12. Women experience more brutal periods during the colder months.

A period’s pain level, blood flow, and duration tend to be longer during the winter months than in summer.