How can I tell if I have a 28 day cycle or not?
Your menstrual cycle is the time from the first day of one period to the first day of your next period. So if you have a 28-day cycle, it takes 28 days to get from the beginning of one period to the beginning of the next.
Twenty-eight days is often referred to as the “standard” length for a menstrual cycle, but some people have cycles that are shorter or longer — your menstrual cycle might be as short as 21 days or as long as 35, and that’s completely fine. Your cycle also might not be exactly the same length every month — that’s normal, too.
Figuring out the average length of your menstrual cycle is as easy as marking the first day of your period on a calendar for a few months. There are a ton of free apps and websites you can use to track your period, too. Some also help you track stuff like PMS symptoms and the length of your period.
If you want to have a reliable 28-day cycle, one way to do that is with hormonal birth control methods like the pill, patch, and ring. These methods can regulate your cycle, make your period lighter and shorter, and have lots of other health benefits, too (besides being highly effective birth control!). Learn more about these and other birth control methods.