When it comes to periods, we all experience them differently. For some of us, they’re more painful than others and some of us feel most aroused just before or during our periods. There’s still a taboo around the topic of period sex or period masturbation with one in five people saying they’d never discuss their periods at-all with their partners and that same number of people believe that period sex is a taboo subject.
However, there’s a whole host of benefits to getting off while you’re on and if it’s something you think you want, there’s nothing wrong with that!
According to Tara Costello writing in her book, Red Moon Gang: An Inclusive Guide To Periods, “endorphins released by orgasms have been known to release menstrual cramps depending on their strength and intensity.”
They added: “It is thought that climaxing can ‘relax’ the uterus, and the stronger the orgasm, the better it will relieve pain. In addition to this, all the contracting the uterus does during an orgasm can actually decrease the length of a period”
Basically: an orgasm saves you pain and prolonged periods!
How to masturbate on your period
So you know that it’s healthy and will likely help with the difficulties that periods can bring but how do you masturbate when you’re on your period if you’re worried about blood and/or mess?
Well, according to Flo Health, if you’re worried about your sheets, use a dark-coloured towel beneath you to protect them. If you’re worried about hygiene, masturbating right after taking a shower minimises the chances of stains or even just having wet wipes to hand can keep things neat and tidy. Remember also to wash your hands, toys, or anything that you use to masturbate with needs to be cleaned immediately afterwards.
If you use internal period products such as menstrual cups or tampons, you can stick to clitoral stimulation, especially since the clitoris is more sensitive around menstruation for many people. Remember to also tease other erogenous zones such as your nipples. If you find that your period products tend to use up a lot of your natural lubrication, use an additional lubricant to prevent irritation and keep you comfortable.
Struggle with clitoral stimulation?
If you want to try clitoral stimulation for your period masturbation but don’t tend to get off on that, pelvic floor physical therapist Laura Meihofer says, “a great way to increase stimulation to the clitoris is by putting pressure on your pubic bone, either with fingers, a partner, or a vibrator! Many also find masturbating while lying on their tummy to be EXTREMELY enjoyable.”