Having a regulated period is something most women take for granted. While no woman really enjoys having her period, knowing it’s coming on the same day every month is a small comfort. Irregular periods are more common than most women think and a reluctance to talk about the topic has hidden this fact. If you experience irregular periods, here’s what your body might be trying to tell you.
1. You’re stressed
Stress is the most common reason a woman’s period can be irregular, thanks to the stress hormone, Cortisol. Cortisol dictates how much of the sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, gets produced in the body. Having too much Cortisol in your bloodstream can change the timing and flow of your cycle. Your body knows that when you are emotionally or physically stressed, it’s not an ideal time for pregnancy, therefore it shuts down.
2. You need to change your diet
Everything you put into your body will have an affect on how it operates and function. What you eat and how much you eat plays an instrumental role in your monthly period. If you are eating meals that are rich in carbohydrates your body will produce varying levels of hormones that shift when you will ovulate. The same goes for women who have recently gained or lost weight. In order to maintain a healthy monthly cycle, your body fat percentage should be between 17 -22 per cent.
3. Your exercise regime is too extensive
While a healthy exercise regime has been known to actually improve the cramps associated with a period, you can have too much of a good thing. Your body needs energy in order to menstruate and if you are exhausting yourself at the gym your body will be left with no energy to produce your period. Being underweight also effects your hormone levels and alters the time and flow of your cycle. Excessive exercising reduces body fat and causes other hormones to drop. This decrease in hormones contributes to irregular periods.
4. Your birth control and or other medicines can be to blame
For certain women it takes months for their bodies to get used to birth control. The first few cycles on the the pill are most commonly light or non-existent until your body adjusts to the new hormone levels. Over the counter medicines such as cold and flu medicines can cause your period to show up a day or two late. This is because most medicines effect the levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones your body can produce.
5. You’re entering menopause
Irregular periods can start as early as ten years before you experience menopause. Menopause is most common in women in their late 40’s to early 50’s. Menopause is the end of ovulation, in other words, your eggs are all done. Your hormone levels are shifting due to age.
Though irregular periods are common, some times they are sign of an underlying problem. If something does not seem right or irregular periods continue for multiple cycles visit your GP.
maternity & infant
Originally posted 2016-02-08 15:39:03.