To free bleed onto my sheets or not to free bleed onto my sheets? Unfortunately, that is the question many women and those who menstruate face when deciding whether to sleep in a tampon or wear an uncomfortable sanitary towel on their period.
The night before is often a pre-warning of this menstrual stress. Doze’s Sasha Spencer started her period today, and she just knew it was coming last night. “I had so many cramps, specifically in my lower back. I also couldn’t maintain a normal temperature. I was up and down.”
Today is Menstrual Hygiene Day, a day made to spread awareness worldwide about the importance of hygiene when it comes to menstruation. Its purpose also serves in removing the stigma and taboo that surrounds periods.
Tampons are generally regarded to be one of the most hygienic period products. Convenient, quick and clean, they prevent you from bleeding all over your underwear for extended amounts of time.
You may be aware of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) – a rare infection that heightens in risk when you wear a tampon for over 8 hours. If you don’t know what TSS is, let me briefly explain.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, TSS causes toxins to spread into the bloodstream, leading to severe organ damage or death.
It is therefore important to change your tampon regularly, and this deters many menstruators from wearing tampons to bed.
“It is generally safe to wear a tampon overnight, as long as it’s not left in for more than 8 hours.” Says Dr. I. Pearson, a scientist in female medicine and wellbeing, told Doze.
“For girls and women who tend to sleep longer or are worried they might forget, a pad or period pants are a safer choice,” she adds.
For me, I find that night pads shift around a lot and can be quite uncomfortable when you’re trying to drift off to sleep.
Free bleeding is the most freeing (it’s in the name); however, there is the obvious issue of waking up in what looks like a scene from the movie Carrie (1976).
What do you do if you’re sharing a bed with a new partner and enduring your period at their house for the first time?
“Nighttime periods often come with added stress, especially when you’re in a new place or sharing a bed.” Says Dr. Pearson.
“Choosing a reliable, comfortable product and having a backup plan, like sleeping on a towel or keeping spare underwear handy, can help reduce that worry.
“Most importantly, we need to normalise conversations around periods so that girls never feel ashamed or anxious about managing them,” she says, “whether they’re at home, at a friend’s, or on holiday.”
Choosing the right nighttime solution to periods can take years, and it’s important not to put too much pressure on yourself.
I remember vividly once bleeding all over my friend’s brand new pair of white pyjama shorts. I was absolutely mortified, but she brushed it off without making a fuss at all.
Would you judge a friend for bleeding on your sheets? Would you really want to be with someone who judged you for that? If the answer is no, then don’t worry about it too much. Just do what makes you comfortable.
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