Can Stress Cause a Missed or Late Period?

High stress levels can start to impact menstrual cycles often presenting as worsened period symptoms or causing irregularities in the cycle. Some of the symptoms that will likely be worsened if the period is affected by elevated stress levels include more painful periods, increased nausea, bloating, tenderness in the breasts, as well as more significant weight fluctuations. Another indicator that high levels of stress are affecting a menstrual cycle includes irregularities in an otherwise fairly regular amount of time between periods, as well as shorter or longer cycles than what is considered typical for the person.

It is common to experience irregularities in menstrual cycles without being pregnant, with around 25% of those of childbearing age experiencing late or missed periods at some point. A late or missed period can be caused by several factors, one of which includes changes in hormone levels such as hormonal imbalances and taking a form of hormonal birth control. Lifestyle changes such as increased stress levels, significant weight changes, some health conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or diabetes, as well as undergoing trauma can cause disruptions or irregularities to your menstrual cycle. Some medications have been shown to lead to irregularities in menstrual cycles such as antidepressants and antipsychotics.

A late period is considered one that has not started until 5 to 7 days after the expected start date but is not considered to be a missed period until you have gone at least 6 weeks since the start of your previous period. It is often recommended that a pregnancy test is taken if your period is more than 10 days late, but there are a few other factors that can lead to a delayed or missed period. A significantly delayed period may also be indicative of an underlying untreated health condition, so it is always recommended that any noticeable or regularly late menstrual cycle be addressed by a healthcare provider to rule out the possibility of other underlying but severe health conditions.

Either emotional or physical stress can quickly impact the body’s natural ability to continue proper functioning, making any changes start to disrupt regular bodily functions such as bowel movements, sleep patterns, and hormones. Even light stress can affect menstrual cycles, worsening symptoms or delaying the cycle entirely. The higher the levels of stress that are experienced, the more significant the impact will be on the body and the menstrual cycle. Any kind of stress that is experienced in life can affect a typically regular menstrual cycle, often resulting in periods that are noticeably delayed or sometimes missed entirely. Chronic stress will often have a longer-term or more dramatic impact on menstrual cycles, leading to periods that can be entirely unpredictable as the stress is causing the body to not be in pristine condition to be procreating, causing changes in the reproductive system.

One of the effects that high levels of stress have on menstrual cycles is causing heavier bleeding during periods. When the body undergoes any significant changes that disrupt the regular functioning of the body, all normal bodily functions can quickly become affected. Heavy bleeding during a period can often be identified as abnormally heavy and possibly requiring medical attention through needing to change sanitary pads more frequently, even throughout the night, requiring more than one method to manage the bleeding, bleeding for longer than one week at a time, having to restrict activities due to heavy bleeding, passing blood clots that are larger than the size of a quarter, and experiencing symptoms of anemia such as fatigue and shortness of breath.

You may have an irregular, missing, or late period for a variety of causes, ranging from stress to more severe medical concerns. Stress can produce a hormonal imbalance, which might cause your menstruation to be disrupted. For more information contact us today or schedule an appointment online. We serve patients from Austell GA, Lithia Springs, Mableton GA, Powder Springs GA, Douglasville GA, Fair Oaks, GA, Hiram GA, Clarkdale GA, Smyrna GA, Marietta GA, and the surrounding areas!