Our menstrual cycle needs to be correct because it affects our health. When periods occur, the exact time of ovulation and the colour and frequency of menstrual bleeding tell a lot about a woman's reproductive health. That is why we should pay attention to these things and be aware of what is right and what is not. Similarly, you should know what should be the correct length of the menstrual cycle.

Functional Hormonal Health Care Expert Nutritionist Shikha Gupta keeps providing health-related information through her social media accounts. Recently, through some of his posts, while talking about the length and colour of the menstrual cycle, he told some interesting things. Let us learn about the menstrual cycle in detail in this article.

Know about your menstrual cycle-

It is important to know whether you are having healthy periods or not. Our body goes through 4 different cycle phases. Let us know how our body and hormones work in these phases.

1. Menstrual Phase

This is the first day of the period and it usually lasts from 2-7 days to 4-5 days. During this, the female hormones estrogen and progesterone are low, due to which periods occur. This can result in low energy, mood swings, increased appetite, and cravings.

2. Follicular Phase

The menstrual phase is its part. When periods end, the ovaries begin to produce eggs for ovulation. Estrogen levels increase after periods and become very high by the end of this phase. During this, follicle-stimulating hormones also increase which helps the ovary to mature. This phase lasts for 11 days and during this, the mood remains good. Energy has also increased.

3. Ovulatory Phase

During this, the level of estrogen level increases significantly, which helps in ovulation. Due to this, the Luteinizing hormone also increases which helps the follicle to release the egg. This phase lasts for 12-17 days and during this time your energy level also remains stable. At this time the body has a good ability to take stress.

4. Luteal Phase

In this phase, your progesterone levels increase and estrogen gradually decreases. It prepares the uterine lining for pregnancy. If the egg doesn't get fertilized, it causes a drop in estrogen and progesterone levels, which triggers your next cycle. This phase lasts for 12-16 days.

What is the correct length of the menstrual cycle?

Period length usually lasts for 7 days if you are not consuming or using any kind of birth control. Although it decreases and increases due to many reasons.

According to nutritionist Shikha Gupta, the ideal cycle length should be 25-35 days. These are the numbers from the first day of the start of your cycle to the first day of the next cycle. If the length of the cycle is too short or too long, it indicates a problem.

The length of our period is equal to the number of days our periods have lasted. If you have spotting before and after your period starts, it doesn't count towards your menstrual cycle. Keep in mind that it should not be more than 7 days and not less than 3 days.

These factors affect the menstrual cycle-

Irregularities in the menstrual cycle can happen for many reasons. Some common reasons for this are-

  • extreme stress
  • sudden weight gain or loss
  • exercise more
  • taking contraceptive pills
  • due to menopause
  • polycystic ovary syndrome
  • Thyroid
  • bad diet
  • not be active at all
  • due to medical conditions

To keep your length right, you must eat nutritious food. Similarly, during the onset of menstruation, include iron and vitamin-rich foods in the diet. Exercise regularly and consult your doctor before the condition becomes serious.

We hope you liked this information about the menstrual cycle.

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