5 ways in which your lifestyle is responsible for irregular periods

Women have a love-hate relationship with their periods! Every time aunt Flo is about to knock at our doors, we end up feeling miserable. And god forbid, if she arrives late, then our brain goes into a tizzy. Delayed period or missed period is not a concern, if it happens once in a while. But if you find yourself wondering when it’s about to happen, almost every single time, then ladies, it’s time to give your gynae a visit. 

That’s because something could be terribly wrong with your hormones. It could also be triggered by a change in the contraception method or a sign of menopause. Well, medical attention is always advised but there are several lifestyle factors that could also be the cause of irregular periods. We’re forever hustling, and that means we forget to pay attention to our health. How much can your body endure, right?

So, be mindful of what you do, how much you eat, and also how much you exercise (no kidding). Without further ado, let’s get to the point!

Here are certain lifestyle factors that could be contributing to irregular periods:

1. Stress

Don’t we all know stress is a killer, and yes, it can wreck your hormones in so many ways! When you stress, your body goes into a ‘fight and flight’ response, which negatively impacts your health. You could suffer from insomnia, acne and even irregularities in your period. So, try to calm your nerves, or else you could end up with period issues every month. 

2. Overdoing exercise

We all know exercise is great for health and helps our body to function appropriately! But what if you go overboard? Yes, that can have a detrimental impact on your periods. It could be anything from training for a marathon to interval training, and if you’ve started this practice all of a sudden, you might feel it even more. When you exercise a lot more than you should, your hormones go out of whack, and that causes irregular periods. 

3. Frequent consumption of alcohol and smoking

Smoking and having your favourite cocktail isn’t harmful, if done once in a while. But if you make it a habit (the lockdown did that to a lot of people), your periods will go haywire. That’s because it causes an imbalance in your hormones that eventually leads to irregular periods. So, be mindful of your consumption and enjoy your favourite drinks, only a few times every month. 

4. Over-eating unhealthy food

There’s a reason experts say, ‘you are what you eat’. Food must be considered as fuel for the proper functioning of the body. If you take it lightly and continue to eat fried and sugary foods, your hormones are definitely going to cry out loud. Don’t blame us if that leads to missed or delayed periods. There really is no substitute for proper nutrition. 

5. Irregular sleep cycle

Sleep is underrated, even when it’s an important part of a healthy lifestyle. When you stay up all night for months and years, your hormone levels go for a toss. This is likely to affect your menstrual cycle. Moreover, sleep deprivation also causes an imbalance in the production of melatonin levels, which is crucial for a healthy period.