Person: I’ve always had an irregular cycle.
Me: Oh, tell me more.
Person: Yes, I’ve always worried about it, as I’ve never had a 28 day cycle
Me: (Speechless)
It’s time to set the record straight, friends. A healthy cycle length is anywhere from 25-35 days and a 28-day cycle is neither the norm, nor the most common cycle length with only 13% of women having a 28-day cycle.
So fear not, a 28-day cycle is not the holy grail we should all be aiming for!
The average length of the menstrual cycle is 29-days which corresponds to the length of the lunar cycle. Historically, pre-the industrial revolution, it is believed that women bleed around the new moon. A study of 826 women in 1986 found that 28.3% bleed around the new moon, which was the largest commonality.
The main reason our society views 28-day cycle as the norm is thanks to the pharmaceutical companies creating a 28-day fake “cycle” with the hormonal birth control with the lie that it normalises our cycle. Grrrrr.
You can learn more about what is a healthy menstrual cycle here and, by the way, I deep dive on all things period, hormones and perimenopause on my 6-week live course Embrace Your Cyclical Power. It really is a life changing course!
