Period regulation: simple ways to get your menstrual cycle back on track
Irregular periods are more common than you think. Missed cycles, heavy bleeding, or spotting between periods can be caused by many things—and most are treatable. Below are clear steps you can try now, what tests a clinician may order, and when to get urgent help.
Quick, useful things to try first
Track your cycle for at least three months. Use a paper calendar or an app to note start and end dates, bleeding amount, pain, medications, and stress. That pattern helps your provider and gives you a baseline.
Check pregnancy first if you’ve missed a period. Then look at lifestyle: sudden weight loss or gain, intense exercise, poor sleep, high stress, and restrictive eating all change hormones. Aim for steady, healthy weight, regular sleep, and cut back on ultra-strenuous workouts for a few weeks to see if cycles normalize.
Manage heavy bleeding and pain at home: over-the-counter NSAIDs like ibuprofen reduce flow and ease cramps. If you’re soaking a pad or tampon every hour for several hours, get medical help. Iron supplements can help if heavy bleeding has caused fatigue—ask for a blood test to check your levels first.
Medical options and tests that help
Bring your cycle notes to your clinician. Common tests include a pregnancy test, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin, and basic blood counts. If cycles are very irregular, providers may check ovarian hormones (FSH, LH) or do a pelvic ultrasound to look for fibroids or ovarian cysts. For people with symptoms of insulin resistance (acne, high weight, excess hair), doctors often test for PCOS and sometimes order glucose or A1c tests.
Treatments depend on the cause. Combined oral contraceptives are a common, reliable way to regularize cycles and reduce heavy bleeding. A progestin-only pill or a short course of progestin can stop irregular bleeding for some people. The levonorgestrel IUD reduces heavy bleeding and often lightens or stops periods. For PCOS with insulin resistance, metformin can help menstrual regularity alongside lifestyle changes. Always discuss side effects and risks with your clinician before starting a drug.
Herbal remedies and supplements pop up online, but they vary in quality and evidence. Vitamin D deficiency can affect cycles in some people, so testing and correcting low levels makes sense. Don’t mix herbs with prescription hormones without medical advice.
Know when to see a doctor: missed three cycles in a row (not due to pregnancy), periods longer than 35 days apart, very heavy bleeding, or severe pain that stops you from daily activities. Seek urgent care if you faint, feel dizzy, have very fast heart rate, or are losing large clots.
Managing menstrual health often means small, steady steps: track, adjust lifestyle, check basic labs, and work with a clinician on targeted treatment. You don’t have to accept disruptive cycles—help is available, and many effective options exist to regulate your period safely.
