Since this period usually affects the physical and mental state of every woman, the time when this natural cycle occurs plays a crucial role in planning for most women. Stress can affect your menstrual cycle and the changes it causes, too.
Constant stress causes the natural process of this period to undergo changes and transformations, which are usually disturbing. One of the most important things that affect your menstrual cycle is stressful situations. Of course, you don't have to worry.
We are not defenseless against these changes. Instead, by increasing the level of information and advertising in this area, these changes can be reduced and their complications can be prevented. To achieve this goal, stay with us until the end of this section.
Effects of stress on the body
Stress usually manifests itself through physical signs that are different for different people; Heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dry mouth, excessive sweating, and similar problems are the most common signs that the body shows itself during stress.
Given that stress usually goes away after a short period of time, its physical symptoms should also be treated in the same way. What may become a problem for you is to prolong your attachment to stress and put your body into gear; In this case, you may experience more severe complications such as irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, hair loss, depression, irregular menstruation, etc.
5 Effects of stress on a period
The most common changes noted after stress in a woman's menstrual cycle include:
- delayed ovulation
- late period
- Menstruation earlier than the specified time
- painful period
- Change in the duration and amount of bleeding
How does stress affect the menstrual cycle?
As you know, the functioning of the ovaries is completely influenced by hormones. What causes stress to interfere with the normal course of menstruation is an imbalance of hormones after enduring stress and irregular work of the ovaries.
In fact, stress increases the hormones cortisol and adrenaline in the body. The increase of these hormones keeps the level of sex hormones such as progesterone low and will alter the menstrual cycle.
An increase in blood sugar due to the release of cortisol can delay ovulation. If you are under heavy stress after ovulation, you may experience bleeding earlier than usual. Below, we will mention some control measures against menstrual changes after stress.
What should I do if stress causes a delay in menstruation?
First, pay attention to the fact that 21 to 35 days in the menstrual cycle is completely normal, and the period is delayed only when the cycle lasts longer than the stated period.
If you are sure that stress is the cause of your irregular periods, in the first step you should try to remove or deal with the main cause of stress. Usually, as long as your source of stress is still as strong as before, taking measures to regulate your menstrual cycle is not very effective.
Use a warm water compress. You can also use natural foods like pineapple, strawberries, broccoli, saffron tea, cinnamon, ginger, etc. Of course, be careful not to go out of moderation. Excessive consumption of any of the above can lead to serious problems for your health. Do not forget about relaxation procedures. Below you will learn about some of these procedures.
5 ways to reduce stress
Although stress on different levels is one of the most common feelings that every person goes through and it is impossible to escape from it, the following measures are very effective in controlling stress:
- Doing sports continuously
- Reduce your daily caffeine intake
- Advance planning for important tasks
- Listen to relaxing music
- Practice deep and slow breathing
- Yoga and meditation
Refrain from taking any substance or medication, arbitrarily and without consulting a specialist doctor, to control stress.
What are the consequences of an abnormal menstrual cycle?
Although changing your menstrual cycle a limited number of times does not result in special complications, if these changes are frequent or prolonged, you may experience the following problems:
- Anemia and iron deficiency as a result of severe bleeding or bleeding at short intervals
- Infertility due to a disorder in the process of releasing a fertilized egg
- Increased risk of osteoporosis due to estrogen deficiency
- Increased risk of endometrial hyperplasia after irregular periods
- Increased risk of uterine cancer
You can avoid the mentioned side effects by visiting the doctor on time.
When should you see a doctor?
You should see a doctor when any of the following conditions occur:
- Bleeding with fever, nausea and vomiting.
- Pain between periods
- Frequency of irregular periods so that you have 9 or fewer than 12 periods in a year.
- Abnormal and heavy bleeding during your period so that you have to change your pads or tampons more than 12 times a day.
last words
Although nowadays women's life is mixed with all kinds of pressures professional, personal, family, etc.; But you should not let the effect of stress on your period become a major problem for your health and safety.
Don't forget the 5-5 rule! Don't worry for more than 5 minutes about something you won't even remember in 5 years.
If you suffer from menstrual irregularities due to stress, avoid self-medication. If, despite following the tutorial points in this article, your problem persists, and you need to consult experts in this field