Periods with a day off in between?

[crapitus]

I'm 44 so possibly perimenopausal and having the usual symptoms, shorter cycle (26 days but regular) poor sleep on the run up to my period, feeling very hot in bed, aching finger and hand joints etc. the last few months though my periods have been a bit strange in im bleeding bright red, heavy and clotty blood for 3 days then stop suddenly just like a tap has been turned off. I don't get any loss at all then for about 12 hours and just when I think it's safe to leave protection off then it starts again, bleeding heavily for about another 12 hours before it stops for good.
Why would my period have this 'break' for 12 hours? Is it a hormonal thing? Is my cervix moving and closing? Does anyone else get this, it's strange!

[hollinhurst84]

Mine has randomly started doing this a bit! Period, then it stops and then just as I start parading around in white shorts again (not really!) it restarts for 1 or 2 days

[AnneEyhtMeyer]

Mine does exactly this. Then about a week after it has finally finished I get the brown slimy sludgy stuff for a few days. Marvellous.