Can Stress affect your periods?

We all know that it is not a good thing to take stress. it can affect our mental, physical and social health. Moreover, the worst thing is that stress affects your menstrual cycle too. In this article, we have answered all the relevant doubts that users have regarding stress and period.

Stress and period : The science behind it

Whenever you are stressed, the body releases a hormone called cortisol in a large amount. A high level of cortisol directly affects your hypothalamus(Hypothalamus is a part of the brain responsible for the menstrual cycle). It affects the hypothalamus in such a way that ovulation gets stopped. Ovulation is a must for a healthy menstrual cycle.

Stress and Period: What changes you can notice?

As the above paragraph shows, stress is directly responsible for your menstrual cycle. Most of you may not be aware of how stress affects your menstrual cycle. Many viewers have several questions like “Can stress delay your period?” “Can stress cause a missed period?” “Can stress cause heavy periods?” and the list of questions is never-ending. Here we have discussed some common menstruation symptoms that come with stress. They are:

• A missed period

• A delayed period

• Irregular period

• A painful period

Stress and period: Things you should do

Every human being experiences stress. We must not take it too seriously. If stress is impacting your overall health and your menstrual cycle, it is recommended you follow some steps which are listed below:

• Meditation: Stress is something that arises out of overthinking. If you learn to master your mind, then consider you have won half the battle and there is no better option to mind control other than meditation. It is recommended you meditate for at least 30 minutes every day and you will see the changes yourself. You will be at peace, enjoy all the little things in life, worry less and love yourself.

• Breathing exercise: Research found out that all the emotions that we experience have a direct link with our breathing pattern. By doing gentle breathing exercises, you will be calm, and control your anxiety which helps a lot in stress management.

There are other things also you can consider like:

• Avoiding alcohol and drugs

• Stretching

• Maintaining a proper sleep pattern

• Talking to people about your problems

Stress and Period: When will my cycle return to normal?

After following all the steps mentioned above, it is usually seen that a normal menstrual cycle starts after one disturbed cycle if you stop producing a large quantity of stress hormones. It is not considered to worry about stress and period. It is not a serious issue but after making all the changes if you still notice an irregular, disturbed menstrual cycle, it is highly recommended you fix an appointment with a doctor.