You might be surprised to know that a lot of things can affect your menstrual period.
- Exercise:
- Regular moderate exercise: This can generally regulate cycles, shorten periods, and reduce cramps. It also improves overall health and well-being, indirectly benefiting hormonal balance and periods.
- Intense or excessive exercise: This can sometimes lead to irregular periods, missed periods, or lighter bleeding. Excessive stress on the body can disrupt hormonal balance and impact menstruation.
- Stress:
- Chronic stress: This can disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, which regulates hormones and menstrual cycles. Stress can lead to irregular periods, missed periods, or heavier bleeding.
- Managing stress: Techniques like meditation, yoga, and relaxation exercises can help regulate the HPO axis and promote regular cycles.
- Diet:
- Balanced diet: Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can provide essential nutrients for hormonal balance and regular periods.
- Extreme diets or nutritional deficiencies: These can disrupt hormonal balance and lead to irregular cycles, missed periods, or amenorrhea (absence of periods).
- Weight:
- Significant weight fluctuations: Rapid weight gain or loss can disrupt hormonal balance and impact menstrual cycles.
- Maintaining a healthy weight: Managing weight within a healthy range can promote hormonal balance and regular periods.
- Smoking:
- Smoking cigarettes: This can shorten menstrual cycles, increase the risk of early menopause, and decrease fertility.
- Quitting smoking: This can improve hormonal balance and potentially regulate menstrual cycles.
- Chronic diseases:
- Certain chronic diseases: Conditions like endometriosis, PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), and thyroid disorders can disrupt hormonal balance and lead to irregular periods, heavy bleeding, or other menstrual issues.
- Amenorrhea: Celiac disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and other chronic diseases can cause missed periods or stop periods altogether.
- Medications:
- Some medications: Certain medications, including hormonal contraceptives, oral medications for acne, antidepressants, and blood thinners, can affect menstrual cycles as side effects.
- Discussing medications with your doctor: Understanding potential side effects and exploring alternative medications, if possible, can help minimize menstrual disruptions.
If you notice changes in your cycle, you might want to discuss them with your gynecologist or women’s health nurse practitioner.