Sari duniya ki fikar chhod kar you’re sleeping in the most comfortable position when all of a sudden you feel something. Uh, oh, it’s your period again. Urgh. If you’ve had your peaceful neend disrupted by the arrival of you-know-who in the middle of the night, you’re not alone. Every woman has faced this.
But what causes heavy bleeding at night?
3 Reasons That May Cause Heavy Period Flow
Getting your period at night is normal, getting heavy flow at night is pretty normal as well. But if you notice that this heavy flow continues throughout your period cycle, then there could be multiple reasons behind it.
No matter whether you just had your 1st period or 100th, getting leaks at night is okay and you could blame one of the following for the same:
- You’ve put your pad or tampon in the wrong position.
- You’re sleeping in an incorrect position.
- Your pad/tampon/cup is at its maximum absorbing capacity.
Read 5 Ways To Delay Periods Naturally
5 Tips On How To Prevent Period Leakage At Night
You know the horrors of period leaking at night. It sets off the mood for the whole day. You end up feeling irritated, angry and flustered at everything. And you’d do anything to stop that from happening. Haina? So how can you avoid period leaks at night?
Here are 5 ways you can learn how to stop period leakage at night.
1. Slow & Steady Wins The Race
When you’re asleep, you remain in one position for hours. And all the blood coming out due to the gravitational force is retained in your vagina instead of flowing out into your period product.
So instead of jumping out of your bed, ease yourself into a pillow and slowly get out of bed to prevent sudden leaking.
2. Ek Se Bhale Do!
You’re going to toss and turn in your sleep all night, and itni uthal pathal mein your pad is also bound to move, right? So why just one? Use two pads during your period nights! To put your mind at ease, or if your period is particularly heavy this month, try wearing two pads to cover the entire area of your panty.
Pro Tip: Wear winged pads/leakproof pads for periods.
3. Change Your Pad Before You Sleep
You get the most absorption from your period products like pads and tampons if you change your pad shortly before you go to bed.
There are night pads, for example, that provide up to 8 hours of leakage protection. If you put on a new pad right before going to bed, you’ll enjoy the entire 8 hours of chain bhari neend.
Tip: Search the internet for the best leak-proof period underwear (might not sound like something you’d want to wear but give them a try).
4. Wear A Tampon Or Menstrual Cup
Wear a tampon if you are sleeping for less than 8 hours. Tampons are worn inside the body, so you won’t leak if you move around while sleeping. (buy the tampons with leak protection).
If you have a history of sleeping in, this isn’t the best option for you because using tampons for more than 8 hours raises your risk of infection. Your other great option is using a menstrual cup. If you’re prone to hitting the snooze button frequently, they’re a boon. Do menstrual cups leak? Menstrual cup leaks are very rare, so you can sleep befikar.
5. Track Your Period Every Month
Keeping track of your period might dramatically transform your cycle! Knowing when your next period is due will help you plan what pants to wear, what products to use, and whether or not to take any extra precautions, such as mattress coverings or dark towels on your sheets, for peace of mind.
You can use free apps such as Flo, Eve by Glow, or Spot On, amongst several others.
But no matter how well prepared you are, there will be nights when you’re going to be facing this problem. Over the added pain of period cramps, there’s the issue of washing away the blood stains from your clothes and bedsheets.
So how do you get your bedsheets to return to their original state?
Watch This Video On Real PCOS Struggles
3 Quick & Easy Ways To Wash Blood Stains Caused By Period Leakage
1. Baking Soda & Water
If the stain has already dried up, this power duo will ease your problems in an instant. Before washing your clothing pieces, create a paste of baking soda and water. Apply this paste and let it stay for a while before washing it away.
2. White Vinegar
A remedy stolen from your ghar ka kitchen is one of the effective solutions for this problem. Soak the stained patch for 5-10 minutes before washing it away with detergent.
3. Salt & Water
A simple solution created from staples from your dining table! Just like baking soda and water, create a paste and apply it on your clothing.
But if there’s something more stubborn than your chhote bhai/behen, is your period stains. At the end, if nothing is working, DIY your bed sheet into something useful and save your stained underwear for your period weeks.
Read 4 Reasons Behind Painful Periods & Its Treatment Options, As Per A Fertility Consultant
Why Are Period Leaks More Common At Night?
There’s clearly an art to stopping period leaks at night, and here’s why:
Naturally, you don’t check and change your pad as frequently when you’re sleeping. Normally, you’d be able to stop any leaks (hopefully) before they happened throughout the day, but this is difficult when you’re catching some much-needed sleep, isn’t it?
During the day, it’s easier to avoid leaks because gravity works in your favour and collects period blood on your pad, tampon, or other items you’re using. Blood, on the other hand, can fall to the side, or at least not where you want it to, causing leaks while you’re sleeping.
But with all this anxiety piled upon you, can you get some decent sleep? The answer is yes and the solution? Read on to find out.
10 Tips To Sleep Comfortably At Night During Your Period
Sona? Wo bhi aaram se? On your period? Seems impossible, doesn’t it? But here are some best ways to sleep on your period to prevent leaking:
- Sleeping sideways with a large winged pad.
- Surround yourself with plenty of soft pillows.
- Using two pads instead of one.
- Listen to soft music and light a sweet-smelling candle.
- Classic hot water bag to the rescue.
- Hydrate your body during the day and night.
- Wear comfy clothes.
- Massage your back and abdomen with warm oil.
- Haldi wala doodh before getting into bed helps you sleep faster.
- Watch your favourite movie and distract your mind.
Period leakage can be a handful. But there are definitely some ways around this tricky business. You can seriously consider using menstrual cups because the leak rates for these are so low that you’ll possibly never return to your pad ever again. Most of the time all your problems associated with periods are quite normal and widespread among females. Learn more and #BeALittleMore open with your family and friends while talking about your period days and problems.
Take The Period Quiz: Menstruation Myth Or Fact?
Have you learnt any period leakage hacks from someone that has helped you a lot? Share them in the comments below!
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