How Stress Can Affect The Menstrual Period

The menstrual period can also be influenced by stress – and thereby possibly increase the stress for a short time …

Not every woman is allowed to have a regular menstrual period. But sometimes it is simply because of the stress that the otherwise calming monthly bleeding shifts, does not occur or there is intermenstrual bleeding.

The rhythm of the menstrual period

Few women still experience menstrual bleeding that is controlled solely by the body and its interplay of hormones. Many women take hormone-containing contraceptives that intervene and regulate the female cycle and thus also menstruation.

Anyone who takes the pill knows almost exactly, right down to the time, when the next menstrual period will start. If she doesn’t, there is great nervousness and stress.

But anyone who experiences a natural cycle without hormones through pills knows that many small things can lead to irregularities in the cycle.

Is my cycle disturbed?

The menstrual period is not always the same, but it cannot always be immediately described as “disturbed”. Basically, however, there are different variants of a disturbed cycle and disturbed menstruation:

• Bleeding that occurs too rarely (oligomenorrhea)
• Bleeding that occurs too often (polymenorrhea)
• Additional bleeding to normal bleeding (metrorrhagia)
• No bleeding (amenorrhea)
• Bleeding too little (hypomenorrhea)
• Too much bleeding (hypermenorrhea)
• Prolonged and increased bleeding (permanent bleeding, menorrhagia)

Often we know very well that the delayed menstruation is due to one reason or another, but the worry grows every time.

Today we would like to briefly introduce some of the causes of irregular or even absent menstruation – apart from the most serious cause of pregnancy, of course.

stress

In particularly stressful times, Mother Nature reacts very caringly: by protecting against pregnancy, she wants to protect you from even more stress that is harmful to the body.

The hormonal balance is out of balance, the menstrual cycle can change, sometimes the menstrual period even stops completely.

Travel to other climates or large time differences between time zones can also lead to such stress!

Last but not least, matters of the heart, such as conflicts in a partnership, can lead to menstrual problems … Stress is the most common trigger of a changed cycle!

Diseases

There are many diseases that can cause irregular menstruation regardless of stress. Some examples are:

• Fibroids
• Polyps
• Tumors
• Endometriosis
• high blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Blood disorders

In such cases, a disturbed cycle is only marginal and the main disease should be treated. The hormonal balance will then regulate itself again as a result of the recovery.

Underweight

If you are underweight, your hormonal balance becomes unbalanced and cycle disorders are the rule.

The more you are underweight, the greater the likelihood that your menstrual period will stop altogether.

The body thus protects itself naturally: an expectant mother who is underweight poses a risk to her own life and that of her unborn child.

Obesity

Unfulfilled desire to have children is a widespread problem with overweight. Statistically speaking, over half of all Germans are overweight, so that overweight rather than underweight lead to a disturbed hormonal balance much more often.

Here, too, the reason is simply self-protection. Mother nature protects mother and unborn child from health risks through the absence of menstrual bleeding or through irregular cycles.

Over / underactive thyroid

The thyroid is involved in the production of many hormones. If this small, butterfly-shaped organ does not function properly, it can lead to irregular menstruation up to and including a lack of menstrual bleeding.

Regardless of whether you are under or overactive: Thyroid problems should be treated!

Too much exercise

Followers of the philosophy “sport is murder” will be pleased: too much sport also messes up your hormones and can lead to irregular menstruation.

Excessive exercise is also seen as stress by your body and it reacts accordingly to protect you and your health.

Malnutrition / malnutrition

Malnutrition or malnutrition does not necessarily have to result from incorrect eating habits; it can also be caused by illnesses such as allergies or food intolerances.

Ulcerative colitis and celiac disease are just two of many examples where important nutrients cannot be absorbed from food.

Malnutrition or malnutrition is always an emergency situation for your body in which it protects itself against pregnancy by messing up the hormone status and with it the cycle .