40 pc women 'lie about being on their period to avoid sex'

From sport to sex, the ‘time of the month' is used as an excuse for avoiding a variety of activities, the Daily Mail reported.

The online survey of 1,000 women commissioned by Panadol found that 38 percent women admitted to pretending to be on their period when it suits them and the top reason cited was to get out of exercise, while one in seven women used it to avoid sex.

A significant number, nearly 20 percent, also used it as an excuse for a bad mood or snappy, irritable behaviour while others lied about it as an excuse to indulge or have some relaxation time.

Yet the vast majority felt no guilt about fibbing - perhaps because nearly half of the lies were told over the phone, via text, social networks or email.