There is no single "norm" of period heaviness you must compare yourself against. Periods differ between women and, in the same woman, across periods of life. So the key question is not "how much should I bleed?" but: is the bleeding disrupting my life?

Signs that a period is heavy include: a pad or tampon soaking through roughly every hour for several hours in a row; needing double protection (tampon and pad at once); large clots; bleeding lasting longer than a week; leaking onto clothes or bedding; giving up work, plans or activities on bleeding days. If that sounds familiar — it is worth booking an appointment. Not because something is certainly wrong, but because such bleeding can and should be looked into, and can often be eased.

One more thing matters: losing a lot of blood over time can lead to anaemia — which is why constant tiredness and weakness sometimes come with heavy periods. That is another reason to tell a doctor about heavy periods rather than ignore them.

Before the appointment it is worth gathering a few observations: how many days the bleeding lasts, how often you change sanitary products and what it makes difficult in daily life. Short notes help you remember the details and tell the doctor what matters to you. You do not need a complete record, though — describe what you have noticed, and do not put off the appointment because you have no notes.

A separate rule: bleeding or spotting after sex, between periods, or after menopause should always be reported to a doctor — regardless of what your periods are like.

Urgent help: very heavy bleeding with weakness, dizziness, feeling faint, fainting or severe pain is a situation for urgent medical contact.

Sources: [1] NHS — Heavy periods; [2] NHS clinic patient leaflets.

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