6 Reason Why You Have Irregular Periods

Do you frequently miss your periods? The first thing to consider is pregnancy. If that is ruled out, other possible causes might be related to the use of certain birth control pills or entering menopause. Aside from those three possibilities, there are several health problems as well as lifestyle and environmental factors that can impact your periods.

Tension

Your stress level can affect your menstrual cycle. If you’re experiencing extremely high stress, it can cause missed or irregular periods.

Exercising

Although regular exercise is good for your overall health, excess exercise can be bad for females, especially those who are athletes. In fact, excess exercise is one of the key reasons behind disruption of the menstruation cycle.

Excess Fat

When your body mass index (BMI) falls below 18 or 19, you have little body fat. Low body fat can interrupt many hormonal functions in your body, potentially halting ovulation and affecting your menstrual cycle.

PCOS

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormone imbalance in women that affects ovulation, which can cause irregular periods. Other signs of PCOS include acne, excessive hair growth and weight gain.

Alcohol

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, drinking alcohol can cause irregular periods as well as infertility.

Smoking

Women who smoke are at a higher risk of suffering from irregular periods. Smoking may alter levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and other hormones involved in the regularity of the menstrual cycle.