Most women receive an indicator of our internal balance and wellness every month, but that isn’t always inevitable. Irregular periods can be an unexpected, sometimes worrisome bump on a woman’s health journey. Inconsistent periods can throw off a woman’s monthly routine and in the long term, may have deeper effects on overall health.
In this article, we'll explore what causes irregular periods, how they influence health, and how you can start restoring balance to your monthly cycle today.
What causes an irregular period?
Missed periods, excessive bleeding, or spotting between cycles all qualify as common signs of irregular periods. What’s more is that these symptoms can vary in predictability, duration and intensity, which can be very frustrating.
No matter the level of disruption, the unpredictability of an irregular period can cause additional stress to an already challenging subset of womanhood.
There are so many factors that can result in irregular periods, but common triggers include hormonal imbalances, chronic stress, significant weight changes, poor nutrition, medical conditions, birth control, and surgery.
How do irregular periods impact health?
Irregular menstrual cycles can have a whole host of effects on the body’s system. While an irregular period might seem common, when it’s chronic, the implications can get pretty serious.
Fertility and Reproductive Health
A consistent menstrual cycle is vital for women who are planning to have a family. Having a regular period helps your body to release eggs that are optimal for conception, and when a period is irregular, planning around your fertility window can get challenging.
What an irregular period may also be indicating is a more serious, underlying reproductive health issue that might need medical attention.
Hormonal Imbalances
Hormones are the chemicals responsible for regulating the menstrual cycle. Hormone imbalances can typically manifest as irregular periods, and have a ripple effect on other systems in your body—in some cases influencing your weight, mood, and in some circumstances, your cardiovascular health.
Bone Health
For women, bone health should be top priority to maintain throughout life. The health of your bones is intimately linked to estrogen, a hormone deeply affected by irregular periods. When your menstrual cycle is random, your body may not always receive enough estrogen to build or maintain your muscle development.
Over time, this can increase the risk of fractures, and conditions like osteoporosis.
Emotional Wellness
When your hormones are riding a rollercoaster, it’s inevitable that your emotional health will take a ride too. Mood swings, irritability, and anxiety can escalate when your periods are irregular, and that unpredictability in your system can compound stress, making it difficult to feel in control of your body—let alone making plans.
Anemia
Irregular periods that leave you with heavy or prolonged periods of bleeding can trigger anemia. Anemia is caused by a low level of red blood cells in your bloodstream, which can make you feel weak, fatigued, and more susceptible to cardiovascular issues down the line.
Gynecological Health
While periods can sometimes feel burdensome to deal with every month, they do come with important signals and information of what’s going right and wrong in your system. Irregular periods can be an informative red flag of a much larger issue. What they sometimes signal are conditions like fibroids, endometriosis, PCOS, and uterine polyps, which may require early intervention and management to help prevent longterm damage to your system.
How do you get your period back on track?
Every body is unique, and regulating a period is going to look differently for each individual. Here are a few tips to help guide you in holistically regulating your hormones and period and taking back control of your body.
Manage your stress
Integrating stress-reducing activities into your daily schedule like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices will do a lot to alleviate cortisol production and maintain your body’s hormonal balance. .
Consume nutritious foods
Whole foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and lean protein are your key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Eating a nutrient-dense diet will help support your body's ability to maintain balance.
Get physical
Regular physical activity and exercise helps to keep your hormone levels in line. If you shoot for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise each week, you’ll be golden.
Add a supplement to your diet
Expertly designed with Myo-Inositol & D-Chiro-Inositol, naturally occurring hormones in the body, Diindolylmethane (DIM), a compound found in leafy greens, and Folic acid, an important B vitamin, our FLO Ovarian Support vitamin is formulated to help support regular ovarian function and period regularity.
Get regular check-ups and professional healthcare guidance
Especially if you’re planning to start a family, it’s important to seek regular care and attention from a professional to figure out how best to regulate your period.
When it comes to irregular menstrual cycles, it’s not enough to only address the symptoms. It’s so important to explore the root causes of your irregular period and cultivate a healthy, holistic approach to healing those issues. While it can be a challenge to get to the bottom of any health mystery, giving the time and patience it needs can totally transform your life.
