How Stress Affects Periods + Menstrual Health

Stress. One of the topic areas I talk about most here on the blog. Why? Because it is not only one of the top root causes of health problems, but can also negatively impact so many areas of our health and wellbeing. One of which is a females hormones and menstrual cycle.

A females menstruation lasts around 28 days, and the rise and fall of a dozen or more different hormones throughout that 28 days is what triggers and controls things like the release of an egg, the build up and break down of the uterus lining, and how long her monthly bleed lasts for, amongst a host of other big and minute changes. As well as her fertility and ability to get pregnant.

How Does Stress Affect Your Hormones

Hormones are essentially chemicals that move around your body telling your cells and organs what they need to do.

Two of those hormones are Cortisol and Adrenaline. The two hormones that are released by your body to trigger your fight-flight-freeze-fawn response. Which happens when your body feels threatened and in danger.

A reaction it has when you’re dealing with a stressful situation.

The more stressed you are for long periods of time the more adrenaline and cortisol your body has. The problem is while your body is producing adrenaline and cortisol it is not producing other normal hormones that you need for a healthy, balanced period and menstrual cycle.

This can show up in a number of ways, including many uncomfortable symptoms that women often take on as par for the course. And in the extremes can lead to serious hormone complications such as infertility and endometriosis.

But just because your uncomfortable symptoms are common, does NOT mean they are normal!!

Signs + Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance

There are many signs of hormone imbalance that we take for granted as a woman. Hormone imbalance can show up as:

Short or long periods (periods should last for two to seven days)

a menstrual cycle that’s longer or shorter than 28 days

painful and heavy periods

swollen, tender breasts

a lot of cramping around your period days

acne and breakouts

hair loss

excessive amounts of dark body hair

fatigue and exhaustion, especially in the 14 days after your period

unexplained weight gain or have difficulty losing weight, especially around hips, butt, and thighs.

experience bloating or puffiness

feeling irritable or experiencing mood swings

night sweats and/or hot flashes

PMS seven to ten days before period

headaches or migraines around period

often feeling anxious

oily skin and/or hair

muscle loss or being unable to gain muscle mass

depression, mood swings or crying easily

have no motivation

constipation

These are many of the most common symptoms and issues that can happen when one or more of our hormones are out of balance. But by no means an exhaustive list.

The symptoms can however help us to identify exactly which hormone(s) is out of balance and can guide how we begin to address and reverse thee imbalances as well as how to treat the deeper issues and root causes.

How Hormone Imbalance Damages Your Health

In addition to being the root cause behind most unpleasant period relayed symptoms having an imbalance of hormones can be a contributing factor and link into the root causes of long term and serious illnesses and health conditions; thyroid problems, chronic fatigue, M.E/CFS, fibroids, endometriosis, digestive issues, and skin problems.

So What Can You Do Today To Start Helping With The Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance?

Need to get out of pain now? Here are my top 3 tips to get started towards pain-free cycles:

1.Eat an anti-inflammatory diet- avoid inflammatory foods like deep fried, processed foods, refined sugar and sugar-sweetened foods like cakes and pastries. Replace these foods with naturally anti-inflammatory foods like oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), colourful fruits and vegetables, and complex carbohydrates (brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato).2.Support your liver detoxification to help eliminate hormones - eating cruciferous vegetables every day (broccoli, kale, cabbage, Brussel's sprouts, cauliflower). Aim for 1 cup of these vegetables daily as they contain compounds that specifically support the liver to clear excess estrogen which can contribute to painful periods.

Taking 800mg of milk thistle daily will also greatly help support the liver’s natural detoxification process.3.Consider a turmeric supplement- a good quality turmeric (or curcumin) supplement will help to naturally decrease your production of prostaglandins and also reduce heavy flows

4.Work on reducing the stress in your life and introducing tools and practices like journaling, meditation, yoga, and breathwork that help you manage and relieve the stress you do encounter.

And if you want to find out how stress affects you personally try taking my Stress Quiz to find out what your Stress Personality type is:

TAKE THE STRESS PERSONALITY QUIZ Find out your stress personality type based on your your personality traits, actions + beliefs, AND how stress is most likely to show up for youTake The Quiz >>

xo Emily