8 Ways to Naturally Shorten Period Length and Relieve Menstrual Pain

A woman's menstrual cycle is a regular part of her life, and depending on the person, a woman's period could last anywhere from three to seven days. Most women hate their periods because of the unpleasantness that come with menstruation such as cramping, back discomfort and headaches.

Because menstruation doesn't always come at a convenient time, it may be necessary to shorten your period for various reasons, like if you're going on vacation or planning a romantic weekend getaway. Luckily, there are several ways to decrease both the length and painful effects of menstruation and PMS.
Regardless of your reasons, if you are looking for ways on how to stop your period early, here are some methods you can use based on your individual need.

Healthy Eating To Shorten Periods

Eat healthy balanced meals everyday, and do not forget to incorporate a lot of fruits and vegetables in your meals. Healthy eating has been known to ease menstrual complications and also help in shortening the days of your period.

Get Plenty of Water

Drinking a lot of water everyday will help shorten your period. Large amounts of water will also reduce bloating and cramps during menstruation. How much to drink daily can be a bit confusing. Here's a little weight based formula to help you to figure out how much water you should be drinking daily.

• Take your current weight and divide by two.
• Take that number and drink that many ounces of water a day.
• So if you weigh 130 pounds you should drink 65 ounces of water a day.

If you exercise for under an hour an extra glass or two of water should do the trick of replenishing fluids lost though sweating, but if you are exercising for over 60 minutes you will need more.
In addition to proper hydration, you should also avoid carbonated drinks and too much caffeine because they can increase cramps during menstruation.

Raspberry Tea

Some women swear by a daily dose of dark raspberry tea as a delightful way to shorten their menstrual period, combat heavy menstrual bleeding, and relieve painful menstrual cramps. Red raspberry leaves are most often consumed in the form of a tea. This tea is an amazing uterine toner due to the presence of an alkaloid that allows the uterus to contract more powerfully and effectively during labor. Less contractions, less straining, and less effort from the muscles, so there’s less cramping. The alkaloids also aid in toning the uterus after birth as it returns back to its usual size.

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Not only is this tea a good uterine tonic, it’s also high in zinc which is known for shortening labor, strengthening connective tissue, preventing nipple cracks, bonding, avoiding post partum depression and preventing inconsolable crying in babies.
Red raspberry leaves also contain an easily assimilated form of calcium which is necessary in controlling nerve response to pain. Women need at least 1,200 mg of calcium every day. Some good sources of calcium include kale, collard greens, broccoli and Greek yogurt.

Chasteberry

Chasteberry, also known as Vitex agnus-castus or “the women’s herb," is a native of the Mediterranean region. This fruit and seed are used as medicine, and it controls a woman's levels of prolactin, one of the hormones that triggers menstruation. Since the time of Hippocrates, it has been used for many period and fertility-related issues including controlling, menstrual cycle irregularities, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and bleeding. Chasteberry can be found in tea form and should be taken 3 times a day for best results.

Other herbs such as chasteberry, that affect your menstrual cycle are yarrow and ginger that can reduce the duration of your period to three days.
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Indulge in Dark Chocolate

If you're craving chocolate it's OK -- give in! Having a piece of dark chocolate (with 60% or higher cacao bean) every day during your period will help soothe cravings. Plus, dark chocolate has helpful antioxidants and is linked to boosting serotonin, which can help improve your mood.

Foods That Are Natural Blood Thinners

Blood thinners usually do not affect how often you get your period, but they can increase the flow of blood and slightly increase the chance of passing clots during your period. Check out all the foods that are amazing natural blood thinners HERE.

Don't Eat Too Much Salt

Though salt is crucial to good health, bloating and water retention can occur if you overdo it. Nutritionists recommend a diet with 2,300 milligrams/day, or roughly one teaspoon. The best way to control salt intake is to avoid processed and fast foods, many of which contain three to four times the salt you should have in one meal.

Masturbation & Sex

Getting an orgasm through masturbation or engaging in sex is an effective way in getting through your periods early. The main reason for this is that the extra contraction that take place in the uterus when a woman orgasms, results in faster shedding of menstrual flow.

Exercise

Women who are physically fit tend to experience shorter and lighter periods. Women who are quite sporty with less body fat may receive shorter periods. Overweight women may experience longer and heavier periods, because menstrual cycle length and the amount of liquid that comes out are partly determined by your weight.

Women who are overweight and have a higher amount of fat in their body that can often cause more difficult and painful, longer and heavier periods.
For this reason, it is important to perform a regular exercise routine, even during menstruation, as it will help increase blood circulation in the body to help reduce menstrual cramps and shorten your