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How Long Can You Leave a Tampon In?

A woman's hand reaching for an alarm clock.A woman's hand reaching for an alarm clock.

Let’s put this one to rest once and for all. You should only use a tampon for up to 8 hours. So, if you’re asking can you sleep with a tampon in, the short answer is yes. Your tampon doesn’t know if it’s day or night and will work the same while you sleep, just be sure to only use a tampon for up to 8 hours. Given that you may sleep for eight hours, when you’re about to hit the sheets and are planning to sleep with a tampon in, first be sure to put in a new one, and then remove the tampon as soon as you wake up. .

If you’re super exhausted and think you’ll sleep longer than that, you should wear a pad instead. If you’re worried about tampon timing because you’ve heard of Toxic Shock Syndrome - know that how long you wear a tampon does not increase your risk of TSS. You can learn more about Toxic Shock Syndrome here.

How Often Should You Change Your Tampon?

It’s really important to choose the lowest absorbency necessary for your menstrual flow. And because your flow varies from day to day, it’s likely that you’ll need to use different absorbencies on different days of your period. Figuring out absorbency can be confusing at first. But let’s make it easy—if your tampon is uncomfortable to change, go down a size. If your tampon leaks, go up a size. Check out this helpful guide to learn more about which tampon size and absorbency is best for you based on your period flow.

Now that we have answered the questions how long can you keep a tampon in, can you sleep in a tampon, and how often you should change your tampon. Here are some additional resources on tampons, including what you can and cannot do with a tampon.

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How Long Can You Leave a Tampon In | Tampax®
Wondering how long you can keep a tampon in before you need to change it? Or if you can wear it overnight? We've got answers and resources.
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