Weight Gain And Obesity
Weight gain and obesity can affect the frequency of your period in a couple of ways. Rapid weight gain can throw your cycle off because it affects the hypothalamus, which is a part of your brain that regulates hormones. That can lead to hormonal fluctuations that may include more- or less-frequent periods.
Obesity has a complex relationship with menstruation. High levels of fat, also called adipose tissue, can upset the balance of sex hormones and lead to excess estrogen, which can make you have short menstrual cycles and more periods. It also can cause heavier bleeding, more cramps, and more prolonged pain during your period. These problems are most pronounced when the adipose tissue is concentrated around the abdomen.
Losing weight, or maintaining a healthy weight, can help keep your menstrual cycle regular. If you need help losing weight, talk to your healthcare provider about what options you have.
Random Reasons Why Your Period Is Totally Out Of Whack
Heres what to do when everythings NOT coming up roses.
Most women’s cycles last anywhere from 21 to 35 daysbut about one in 10 have irregular periods or super heavy bleeding, according to the National Institutes of Health. That can mean lots of things, from a period that goes MIA, to periods that are completely unpredictable, to bleeding that drags on for eight days or more, to random spotting.
“Most women are pretty attuned to their period, though changes can occur through decades and after kids,” says Alyssa Dweck, M.D., an ob-gyn in in New York. “But if you still think something’s wrong with your period after a month or two, get it checked out.”
Jessica Shepherd, M.D. , an ob-gyn in Chicago, notes that sometimes, changes can be a sign of something more serious. “We may look for an STD or do a biopsy to make sure it’s not something that needs to be treated,” she says.
Here are a few reasons why your period might go wonkyand what you can do about it.
Chronic Diseases Like The Celiac Disease
Metabolism diseases like Diabetes and celiac disease alter the sugar balance in the body.
The changes in blood sugar change the glucose crossing blood-brain barrier. This will affect the hormones produced by the brain.
Hormones control and coordinate the reproductive cycles. Change in hormone cycles can cause late periods.
Any chronic disease like ovarian cancer is also a reason for late periods.
Recommended Reading: How Much Period Bleeding Is Too Much
What Is A Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle is the series of changes a woman’s body goes through to prepare for a pregnancy. About once a month, the uterus grows a new lining to get ready for a fertilized egg. When there is no fertilized egg to start a pregnancy, the uterus sheds its lining. This is the monthly menstrual bleeding that women have from their early teen years until menopause, around age 50.
The menstrual cycle is from Day 1 of bleeding to Day 1 of the next time of bleeding. Although the average cycle is 28 days, it is normal to have a cycle that is shorter or longer.
Girls usually start having menstrual periods between the ages of 11 and 14. Women usually start to have fewer periods between ages 39 and 51. Women in their 40s and teens may have cycles that are longer or change a lot. If you are a teen, your cycles should even out with time. If you are nearing menopause, your cycles will probably get longer and then will stop.
Talk to your doctor if you notice any big change in your cycle. It’s especially important to check with your doctor if you have three or more menstrual periods that last longer than 7 days or are very heavy. Also call if you have bleeding between your periods or pelvic pain that is not from your period.
How Long Is The Menstrual Cycle
Womens cycles can vary in length and from month to month, but the average is around 28 days. Its normal to have regular cycles that are longer or shorter than this .
It doesnt matter how long your cycle is, most women will ovulate around 10 to 16 days before the start of their next menstrual cycle.
Also Check: Can You Get A Wax On Your Period
Number : Can You Get Your Period On Birth Control During The Active Pill Weeks
Yup. Most certainly, you can get your period, or what may seem like your period, when you’re not supposed to get it. Unscheduled bleeding that just shows up is one of the main reasons women stop using a birth control method. But before you decide to give up, know that unpredictable bleeding or spotting usually gets better in a few months, depending on the method. Talk to your doctor about what can help and how to address the problem if it gets too bothersome.
Two Menstrual Periods In One Month
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Getting your period twice in one month can be surprising, not to mention annoying and uncomfortable. And if youve never experienced this before, you also might find yourself worried that something concerning is going on in your body.
Getting two periods in one month isnt always a cause for concernyour body may be following its normal menstrual cycle, which can range in length between 24 and 38 days. So, if your cycle is less than a month long and you have your period at the beginning of the month, you may see it appear again toward the end of the month.
But aside from the length of your cycle, there are many other reasons why you might experience bleeding twice in a month. In some cases, you may be experiencing bleeding tied to a health condition rather than actually getting your period twice. Here are some of the common causes:
Read Also: How Do You Know When You Get Your First Period
Is It Ok To Get My Period Twice In One Month
Is it bad if I get my period twice in one month? Why does this happen? Shoshanna*
It’s often normal during the teen years to have irregular periods. When a girl’s period is irregular, it might come more than once a month or only come every few months. Some girls find they get their period more than once some months, then they might not have another for several months. This is the body’s natural way of adjusting to the changes that come with growing up.
Your cycle should settle down within a couple of years of getting your first period. A period-tracking app on your phone is a great way to see if you period is still adjusting. The more often you use it, the better it is at finding a pattern in your periods. If your periods are heavy, often come more than once a month, or if you’ve had sex, check in with your doctor or or visit a local health clinic. Some clotting problems, hormone problems, and sexually transmitted infections can cause girls to bleed more.
A checkup can help find out if you need any medicine or treatment such as iron supplements to prevent anemia or antibiotics for an infection. Best of all, getting checked out can put your mind at ease and give you a chance to learn more about your body.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
Your Period Changes Throughout Your Life
Just when you start to feel like you can predict exactly when your period is going to show, everything can change. For that, you can thank the hormone shifts that happen throughout your lifetime.
Once you get your very first period, your cycles may be longer, meaning more time may pass between when one period starts to the next. A typical cycle for a teenage girl may be 21 to 45 days. Over time, they get shorter and more predictable, averaging about 21 to 35 days.
Hormone changes that happen during perimenopause — the years before menopause when your body starts to make less estrogen — can throw you for a loop. The time from one period to the next may get shorter or longer, and you may have heavier or lighter bleeding during your period. This phase can last up to 10 years before you start menopause and stop getting your period for good.
Gradual life changes are normal, but sudden, unusual issues like very heavy bleeding or missed periods are not. Talk with your doctor if you notice that something seems off.
Recommended Reading: How Long Does A First Period Last
What Can Cause A Short Period In Women
Birth control pills: Many birth control pills might cause a shorter period. In fact, many women have gone to the doctor complaining, “My period only lasted 2 days!” but sure enough, they were on birth control pills at the time. Dont be surprised if birth control pills make your period shorter and lighter.
Stress: Being under a great deal of stress wrecks with your menstrual cycle. In fact, you might miss a period altogether if you are really stressed. This is a very common reason why women might have a 3 day period when they are accustomed to having longer ones.
Disease or health problem: Sometimes a health problem can show itself with missed or irregular periods, including short periods. This is also true to many medications that someone might take to deal with certain health problem. Check the side effects of any medications you are taking to see if they are known to cause menstrual changes.
Estrogen changes: The age of a woman can play a factor in the 3 day period. Estrogen is responsible for making your body shed its uterine lining every month if you don’t have enough estrogen in your body, it will lead to period changes. This is especially true for those young women who are going through puberty, as well as older women who are approaching menopause. Be aware that these issues can cause 3 day periods or even shorter.
What Are Irregular Periods
Even though girls get their periods on a cycle, that cycle can take different amounts of time each month. For example, a girl might get her period after 24 days one month and after 42 days the next. These are called irregular periods.
Irregular periods are very common, especially in a girl’s first few years of getting her period.
Read Also: How To Know When Your Getting Your Period
How Can I Figure Out What Is Happening In My Cycle When Am I Ovulating
Simply tracking your cycle on a calendar, along with some details of your bleeding and symptoms can help you understand your cycle. Record when your period starts and ends, what the flow was like, and describe any pain or other symptoms , changes in mood or behaviour that you experienced. Over several cycles you will be able to see patterns in your cycle, or identify irregularities that are occurring. Use your own calendar or try this menstrual diary. There are also numerous apps available to help you track your period. If your periods come regularly every 21-35 days, chances are excellent that you are ovulating.
Beyond simple calendar tracking, there are a few ways to figure out the timing of your own personal menstrual cycle. Separately or used together, these can be used to help determine when and whether you are ovulating. Three methods you can try are cervical mucus testing, basal body temperature monitoring, and ovulation prediction kits.
What Does A Period Feel Like
Some women will have pain in their belly . This can be a crampy pain or just a mild ache. You may have lower backache on its own or with the pain in your belly. The pain can often be stronger on the first day or two of your period and will vary in strength and severity from one women to another. Some women also have a headache or feel very tired just before their period arrives or on the first day. Mood changes, teariness and easily losing your temper can sometimes be an indicator that you are getting your period, this is referred to as premenstrual syndrome or premenstrual tension . For some women this can be so overwhelming that they are unable to go about their normal lives. Any symptoms that you find hard to manage should be investigated with your GP.
Many women have no symptoms at all. It is not uncommon for women to notice that they have their period only after they have gone to the toilet and found that there is blood on their underpants or on their toilet paper.
Even without overwhelming symptoms, some women still find it comforting to simply take time out when they get their period, and cuddle up with a hot water bottle.
Adolescent girls and women can both experience skin changes and pimples with their periods.
Also Check: Ways To Make Your Period Come Faster
You’ve Been Traveling Recently
If you get back from vacation and find an earlier-than-expected period welcoming you home, you might be able to blame said vacation on your irregular bleeding. Depending on how far from home you went, excessive traveling can disrupt your period.
Interfering with your circadian rhythms, like changing time zones or working night shifts, can cause changes in the hormones that trigger your cycle, says Dr. Masterson.
What to do about it
As long as the travel was a one-time thing, this should resolve on its own. If you work the night shift regularly, though, irregular periods might be your new normal. Aim to clock at least six hours a night, and make the most of the sleep you do get by blocking out noise and light and avoiding using screens right before you nod off.
Since youre already feeling the effects of late nightsand shift work can do harm to your health over time, increasing the risk of anxiety, depression, GI problems and even heart diseaseyou may want to consider talking to your boss about whether its possible to rework your schedule.
What Does It Mean If You Come On Your Period 3 Times A Month
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Recommended Reading: How To Get Your Period Faster At Age 11
Changes To Your Hormone Levels
Young women often spot, or bleed very slightly, when they ovulate . It happens about 10 to 14 days after their period and is usually caused by a temporary drop in levels of the hormone oestrogen. This is quite normal.
As well as reduced oestrogen levels, you may also experience other hormonal imbalances, which are completely harmless. This could be as a result of stress, or a recent change of diet.
Girls who have just started their periods and women going through menopause are more likely to have irregular periods, which can be confused with bleeding between periods.
Your doctor may take a blood test to investigate your hormone levels and will advise you on possible treatments.