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Menstrual periods typically last four to seven days and happen every 28 days. A woman has irregular periods if the time between periods keeps changing, as they may come earlier or later. It may be less than 21 days or more than 35 days away, and in some cases, it may be much heavier or lighter than normal.
Although irregular periods are fairly common, you don’t have to always know the exact day of your cycle to consider them normal. A lot of factors can cause irregular periods, including stress, changes in hormone levels, certain health conditions, medications, and more. You may feel severe pain, cramps, nausea, or vomiting during these changes and will require ways to regulate your periods with PCOS.
In this article, let’s find out how to regulate your periods with PCOS naturally and when the best time is to see a doctor.
Why Does PCOS Cause Irregular Periods?
During normal menstruation, a follicle matures once a month and gets released by the ovaries in time for its fertilization. In a woman with PCOS, hormonal imbalances can cause the follicle to not mature and eventually not release an egg. This causes many small follicles to stay put in the ovaries and form cysts that can only be seen through an ultrasound scan.
When these cysts do not mature, the follicle will not rupture, which may cause a deficiency of progesterone.
Menstruation usually happens when the progesterone level falls after going up following an ovulation. Without ovulation, there is no menstruation, and this is why women with PCOS usually experience irregular periods or no periods at all.
How to Regulate Your Periods with PCOS
Every woman is unique, and different things may work for each one of them. Luckily, below are some natural methods that may have proven to regulate periods with PCOS:
1. Maintain a Healthy Weight
As much as you may not believe it, the changes in your weight can affect your period. Whether a woman is overweight or underweight, it is important to keep a healthy weight to help regulate your periods with PCOS. Overweight women are also most likely to have irregular periods, heavier bleeding, and pain.
If you are worried that something’s going on, you should talk with your doctor to find out how to reach a healthier weight. A healthcare provider will also provide tips on how to naturally regulate your period while maintaining your weight.
2. Exercise More Often
There are body exercises you can do to help you regulate your periods with PCOS. These routines can help you maintain a healthy weight and are medically known to be part of a treatment plan for PCOS.
A clinical trial showed that aerobic exercise can affect dysmenorrhea by reducing the pain that comes with the menstrual cycle. Examples of these exercises include jogging, hiking, dancing, jumping ropes, and bicycling.
3. Kitchen Remedies
Your body can benefit from increasing your intake of foods with anti-inflammatory properties, such as pineapple, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and papaya. While it is not advisable to depend on these foods as a treatment for regulating periods in PCOS, they are worth having in your daily diet.
Each of these foods provides a blend of macro- and micronutrients for a woman’s body’s functioning. For instance, pineapple is a common home remedy for treating period issues. The bromelain in pineapple is believed to soften the uterus lining, regulating your periods, but this conclusion is not yet proven.
Another thing you should know about how to naturally regulate periods without birth control is to eat more cinnamon. Research states that cinnamon can reduce menstrual pain and bleeding, easing the feeling of nausea and vomiting that comes with dysmenorrhea.
4. Vitamin Supplements
Vitamin D is essential for regulating periods and reducing other symptoms of PCOS, and you can get it from food sources like oily fish and egg yolks. Luckily, there are daily supplements to help balance your hormones if you can’t keep up with a healthy diet.
When using any of these supplements, you must follow the instructions on the packaging. Be certain you are buying your supplements from a reputable source. Feel free to talk with your doctor before adding any new vitamins or supplements to your diet.
5. Hormonal Contraception
Several hormonal contraceptives are available to treat certain gynecological issues that cause painful periods and heavy bleeding in women. Some of the symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods, unusual hair growth, acne, and painful periods.
Hormonal birth control pills work to reduce the level of androgen, a male hormone, that causes PCOS. These pills also stop the ovaries from producing excess estrogen, which slows the growth of endometrial tissue (endometriosis) and causes more regular periods.
6. Manage Stress
During periods of high stress, your adrenal glands release both cortisol and progesterone to boost your energy. The release of progesterone may reduce tension or anxiety, but it may also disturb your normal menstrual flow.
Yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and other relaxing methods may help you feel better and get your period back to normal.
7. Sleep Well
Irregular periods may cause sleeping troubles for many women, leading to severe menstrual disorder symptoms. One of the best ways to avoid sleep problems is to practice good sleep habits.
Go to bed early and get up feeling refreshed to do your daily routines. Also, practice drinking less or no caffeine after noon to avoid a mental breakdown during your period.
When to See a Doctor
There is no denying that home remedies are useful in managing irregular periods, but you should still see your doctor for a body checkup. Do not hesitate to make an appointment if you are experiencing any of these symptoms:
- New acne appearance
- Serious pain and fever
- Abnormal vaginal discharge or foul smell
- Abnormal hair growth
- Unusual changes in weight
- Nipple discharge
- Light bleeding between periods, while pregnant, or after menopause or sex
- If your periods often last longer than 7 days
- If you need to frequently change your period product for several hours in a row
Your doctor may recommend supplements that can balance your hormones or medication that will treat the cause of your irregular periods. The following are some of the causes of irregular periods in women:
- Puberty
- Menopause
- Stress
- PCOS
- Breastfeeding
- Birth control
- Thyroid issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It is possible to regulate your periods with PCOS. However, different treatments may work for different PCOS cases in women. Some women with PCOS may need additional medical attention to regulate their periods, including hormonal imbalance supplements with omega 3 or insulin-sensitizing drugs.
There are various ways and evidence based on how to naturally treat PCOS and irregular periods, including making lifestyle changes and taking the right medications and supplements. However, it is always advisable to talk to a doctor about the best birth control pills that will control your hormone levels and regulate your menstrual cycle.
There is no exact or best way to stop PCOS from developing, but you can take small steps to manage your symptoms. You could start by eating nutritious foods, exercising often, and managing your body weight to avoid the effects of PCOS.
hey, so I read the part bout kitchen remedies and wonderin exactly what kind of stuff I can find at home to help with PCOS? like are we talkin bout spices or more like whole foods? thx for the great read btw, Vitamins For Woman.
Isn’t it a bit reductive to suggest that just hitting the gym more often is a cure-all for PCOS? There’s a lot more nuance needed in discussions on hormonal health. What about people who exercise regularly but still face symptoms because of underlying issues?
You’ve brought up a good point, MikeSpike101. Regular exercise is indeed important but it’s not the sole solution. Everyone’s body responds differently to PCOS, and a multidimensional approach is often necessary.
Loving the focus on natural remedies and maintaining a healthy lifestyle! It’s so important to address PCOS holistically. This article really covers it all, thanks Vitamins For Woman!
hmm i never knew pcos could mess up ur periods that bad. always thought it was mainly about not being able to lose weight easily.
While the recommendation to maintain a healthy weight is sound, it’s critical to emphasize the importance of achieving this through sustainable and healthy means. Crash diets or extreme fitness regimens can do more harm than good, especially for individuals with PCOS.
So you’re telling me if I sleep more, I could finally win my battle against PCOS? Guess I’ve been training for this moment my whole life, time to sleep my way to health!
i just wanna know if vitamin supplements actually do anything for real or if its just like throwin money away. anyone tried it?
Sure, exercise, eat right, sleep well. Like we haven’t heard that a million times before. I guess next they’ll be telling us to drink water.
when should you actually go see a doctor bout this? like at what point does it get serious enough?
This article is so informative, never knew so much about PCOS and periods. It’s great to see so many options out there for managing it.