6 Period Hygiene Mistakes We Have All Made

Menstruation is a companion for every girl since the age of 13 which is why we are all likely to make these 6 period hygiene mistakes, it can also come a bit earlier or later. Periods make our days messy and may also make them painful. It is a 28-day cycle and may also fluctuate due to some reasons.  Period Days are laced with strict guidelines for eating, sleeping, walking, and living life and it also brings some body changes like the appearance of body hair, odor, and other changes that mark the onset of puberty. The beginning of menstruation includes celebrations, anxiety, mood swings, and whatnot. But it becomes tough for some to manage  heavy periods. Mensuration can affect a woman’s emotions and moods in different ways, ultimately affecting a woman’s quality of life in many ways. 

But being new to this period troop you may make some common mistakes which must be avoided for happy and comfortable period days. They are- 

• Maintaining Period hygiene:

Wash your hands at the right times. Taking care of your hands. Hand hygiene is a must while inserting tampons into your vagina to keep the vagina free from all the bacteria that you encounter throughout the day. So, wash your hands before doing so.

Not changing your tampons or pads enough. Keep changing your pad or tampon every 4 hours may not just reduce the risk of toxic shock syndrome- a life-threatening complication of certain types of bacterial infections but also avoids any leakage.

• Using wrong products:

Using scented products. Periods are a messy business, but the use of artificially scented products like soaps, and wipes can irritate everything down there. When bathing, cleanse your Vaginal parts with water and wash outer areas with all-natural soaps that don’t have words like “fragrant” or “perfume” on the label.

Using sanitary pads and tampons made with rayon or bleached cotton Tampons and pads made up of rayon, cotton, or a mix of both contain traces of pesticides, bleach, adhesives like methyl dibromo glutaronitrile, and dioxin, a known endocrine, and fertility disruptor.  The estimated number of tampons a woman will use in a lifetime is 12000 approx. Exposure to these chemicals may cause reproductive harm, endocrine disruption, and cancer, how long-term exposure affects health.

Skip the chemical exposure and instead use Menstrual cups made out of medical-grade silicone and reusable organic cotton pads/period underwear are also safe and effective alternatives. 

• Take Pain Killers Frequently

Pain medications like ibuprofen (Advil, Midol, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can cause more problems like the risk of having a sudden heart attack or stroke without warning. Frequent use of pain medications can damage your kidneys and liver also.

• Douching

Douching shouldn’t be done for many reasons as it is been linked to bacterial or yeast infections, difficulties getting pregnant, vaginal infections, and sexually transmitted infections. Douching upset the natural pH of the vagina and remove some of the normal, beneficial bacteria that help protect you from infection. Cleaning up your vagina and vulva with warm water only.

• Not getting proper sleep

Adequate sleep is especially important when you have your period. “Without enough sleep, the body becomes stressed and inflamed leading to PMS and menstrual cramps. Getting the sufficient sleep of 7-8 hours is especially important during menstruation.

Instead of these, increase your consumption of magnesium, calcium, omega 3 and vitamin B6. The use of a heating pad also increases blood flow and relaxes the nervous system and muscles. 

• Physical habits

Skipping exercise Doing exercise will help ease cramps and improve sleep, preparing your body physically and emotionally strong.

Caffeine intake Caffeine can dehydrate you and make many of your symptoms worse, especially the headache. Cutting back on coffee and tea during your period may help to beat the problems like stress, insomnia and anxiety.

Conclusion

Periods aren’t shameful as they are though but a natural biological process that needs to be respected. Let’s contribute a bit to change this cycle and ditch the habits which may have fatal affects on our lives, because periods and the balance of hormones are what help us stay young!