10 Facts and Myths About Menstruation Girls Must Know!

Girl holding menstrual cup. Image from freepik.com

Facts and Myths About Menstruation

Every month, for about 5-7 days, you will have guests who make your days a little different.

Starting from a sudden increase in appetite, abdominal pain, and body aches, to this series of prohibitions that make you not as free as usual.

Menstrual periods are special and a little complicated, which only girls know about.

It is said that when you have your period you can’t swim, you can’t drink ice, you can’t even take a nap.

It is being said can cause various health problems ranging from headaches to uterine cancer.

Well, for you ladies, many of those rules are just a myth.

Here are some data about facts and myths about menstruation. Hopefully, this is useful.

10 Facts and Myths About Menstruation Girls Must Know!

1. During menstruation, you should not wash your hair, a myth. You don’t have to hold back with limp hair when you have your period, just wash it.

There is no scientific basis during menstruation you should not wash your hair. Photo by cottonbro on Pexels

It is said that when you have your period, the pores of your scalp are wide open.

So if you wash your hair later it will cause headaches.

Until now there has been no research to support this statement.

So you can wash your hair.

Besides, you can’t even imagine if you keep not washing your hair for a week.

It’s dandruff everywhere.

Also, during menstruation, you have to keep it cleaner for health.

Washing your hair is one of the things you have to do.

If your hair is clean and smells good, you will also feel more comfortable and confident, right?

2. Not drinking ice or soda because it can inhibit or speed up menstrual blood flow, a myth. Menstrual blood flow is not directly related to what you drink.

Menstruation has nothing to do with cold drinks or soda. Ball mason jar on table. Photo by Ethan Sykes on Unsplash

Some say that cold drinks can inhibit menstruation, even make the menstrual blood clot, and will harden on the uterine wall.

This also has no scientific basis.

Your menstrual process is determined by the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

For example, obstructed menstruation is usually caused by physical, psychological, or certain diseases.

Conversely, drinking soda also won’t speed up the menstrual process.

You are not advised to consume soda continuously because it is not good for the body’s nutritional balance.

If your body’s nutrition is not balanced, it could be that your menstrual cycle is also disrupted.

3. No swimming during menstruation because it can make you infertile, a myth. Maybe the only reason is that it is uncomfortable, other than that there is no medical effect.

Women in blue bikini top on swimming pool. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels

If you are menstruating, maybe you don’t swim first. Maybe most girls choose not to swim when they get it.

Not because it was said that it could cause infertility.

But because it just feels uncomfortable when you’re menstruating and splashing water.

But if you are comfortable with the pads you are using, and feel that there is no problem, then it’s okay for you to swim.

4. Appetite craze during menstruation, fact. All of this due to unstable hormonal changes.

Happy woman with donut and bottle with beverage. Photo by Tim Samuel from Pexels

Have you ever felt like snacking just before and during your period? Yes, that’s not a myth. There is research that states that women on average consume 110-500 calories more before the menstruation period. This is caused by hormonal changes. Well, now it’s up to you who are very good at controlling your appetite if you don’t want your body to become stretchy during menstruation.

5. The feeling of weakness that is felt during menstruation is because we bleed too much, a myth. Menstrual blood averages only one cup, which should not make you weak.

Woman in Gray Tank Top Lying on Bed. If you constantly feel weak, there may be other conditions. Immediately check with the doctor. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

When you feel weak during your period, you may think that it is because you lack blood. Naturally, you’re “throwing blood”.

But actually, this has nothing to do.

First, because the blood you throw away is dirty blood, which the body doesn’t need.

Second, the blood you spend is only 35 ml/day on average or about 3-6 tablespoons.

So it shouldn’t make you weak. If you often feel weak during your period, there may be other factors.

6. Drinking milk can relieve menstrual pain, facts. Not only milk, but you can also consume all its derivative products that are rich in calcium to reduce menstrual pain.

Woman with glass of milk. Image from freepik.com

Menstrual pain is excruciating. It feels lazy to do anything. Sometimes the pain makes your stomach feel cramped and you can’t move.

But the level of menstrual pain experienced by each woman is not the same.

Some are so painful that they want to pass out, some don’t even experience it.

Menstrual pain is caused by many things.

As long as it’s still in the normal stage, there’s nothing to worry about.

But if menstrual pain starts to be unnatural, and continues even after menstruation, you should be aware of it.

To reduce menstrual pain, let’s consume healthy milk.

Magnesium and calcium contained in milk, according to research, can reduce pain during menstruation.

7. Menstruation makes women emotionally explosive and very sensitive, a fact.

Woman, shout, scream. Photo by Engin_Akyurt on Pixabay

Yes again, hormonal changes are the culprit, although there are many other factors too.

Maybe all this time you have been wondering whether PMS really exists or is it just a suggestion and is it being exaggerated?

There, Ladies. PMS occurs because hormonal changes in a woman’s body cause not only physical changes but also psychological changes.

Besides that, menstruation also causes some discomfort for you, ranging from abdominal pain, back pain, aches, acne, and many more. 

8. Stress can cause your monthly guests to arrive late or early, a fact. But this is usually accompanied by sub-optimal physical conditions.

It is important to take care of your body and mind, so that your menstruation remains smooth. Female student suffering from headache in library. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Many factors can affect a person’s menstrual cycle.

Physical factors can occur if the nutrients in the body are not balanced.

It has been proven that a person’s weight greatly affects the menstrual cycle.

It could also be due to fatigue. Stress also has no less effect on the menstrual cycle.

When you have a lot of thoughts or are experiencing excessive anxiety, your brain releases stress hormones which can make your monthly guests arrive sooner or slower. 

9. Having sex during menstruation will not lead to pregnancy, a myth. You can still get pregnant, even the fertile period can occur in the middle of your menstrual period.

Lovely pregnant woman embracing abdomen. Image from freepik.com

It is said that they say that having sex will not make you pregnant.

This is not true. A woman’s fertile period is related to the release of an egg from the ovary. And it can happen during menstruation.

Also, during menstruation, women’s sexual arousal will increase, because your progesterone hormone is in a low condition.

The progesterone hormone is a hormone that suppresses sexual desire.

But even so, having sex during menstruation is not recommended because of hygiene problems. 

10. Spirits like to get close to girls because of the smell of blood, what a myth!

Person Holding a Toy Jack O Lantern with a Ghost. Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Even though in this modern era menstruation is no longer taboo and does not always interfere with women’s activities, it turns out that there are still many who consider menstruation to be the ‘dirty’ period for women.

Because the blood we excrete makes us smell fishy.

It is said that it is also because of this blood that spirits like to be close to menstruating women.

This is a myth, don’t believe it! Even though spirits are everywhere, it doesn’t matter if you are menstruating or not. 

So, Ladies, those are the facts and myths about menstruation that you should know.

Don’t just believe it right away if someone forbids or orders this.

Find out the validity first, and if possible, consult a doctor.