5 Reasons Why You Missed Your Period
We’ve all been there: Noticing that your period is a week late and jumping into conclusion that you might be pregnant. From there, you end up purchasing as many pregnancy kits as you can use, costing you a lot of money and stress. But we have some news for you: A missed or late period doesn’t instantly mean you’re pregnant. Oftentimes it does, but the absence of your monthly menstruation could also be caused by any these reasons.
- You Exercise Too Much
Working out is great, but exercising excessively could have some detrimental effects on your body. Pushing yourself too hard every time you work out could keep your body from producing enough oestrogen to complete a menstrual cycle, leading to missed periods. Dancers, gymnasts and professional athletes are a greater risk of experiencing amenorrhoea, a condition where you miss your period three months in a row.
- You Are Too Stressed Out
Overly stressed lately? If so, then that could be the reason you missed your menstrual cycle. Stress caused by a breakup, a busy job or a troubled family life could cause a condition known as hypothalamic amenorrhoea. This condition occurs when the hypothalamus, the part of the brain in-charge of regulating your menstrual hormones, is severely affected by stress – thus, resulting to a late or missed menstrual cycle.
- You’ve Done SomeLifestyle Changes
Although this goes hand-in-hand with stress, something as simple as travelling, changing hours at work or waking up earlier than usual could actually lead to a skipped menstrual cycle. These changes could interfere with your body clock, which helps in regulating your hormones. This typically causes one skipped period, but as your body starts getting used to your new schedule, your menstrual cycle will also return to normal.
- You Might Be Ill
Having a serious or a simple illness, such as a common cold, could also keep you from getting your menstrual cycle. Your body will likely prioritize certain body functions until you’ve fully recovered from the illness, which means it might sacrifice your period to fight off the infections and keep you as healthy as possible.
- You’re Going Through Premature Menopause
Some women go through a condition called premature menopause which prevents them from getting menstrual cycles for the rest of their life. This is when a woman under the age of 40 experiences the symptoms of menopause like being unable to get pregnant and not having a period every month. Premature menopause is often caused by an illness, by genetics or even medical procedures.
Missing a period could be caused by various reasons other than being pregnant. So if you’re period is already several weeks late and you’ve tested negative on the pregnancy test, it’d be best for you to visit your gynaecologist to ensure that everything is A-Okay.
