Why periods get a delay in winters?

Are you facing delayed periods in winters?

While talking about health, winters are the trickiest season. Since the days are shorter and the nights are longer, it means more time to be spent indoors. Winters also restrict much physical activity and the lifestyle becomes sluggish.

The menstruation cycle of women also gets influenced due to cold weather and they have to face delayed periods in winters. Having awareness about the effects of cold weather on your periods may assist you better to cope better with certain changes. Below are some of the ways the cold weather affects your periods and tips to deal with these:

• Pre-menstruation symptoms

PMS refers to some signs and symptoms that occur some days prior to the periods. These involve bloating, irritability, mood swings, anxiety, and depression. During winters, most of the time is spent indoors and one gets the feeling of being isolated and melancholy.

Deficiency in calcium and Vitamin D due to less exposure to sunshine could be the triggering agents for PMS. As per the recent study, the women who took 500mg of calcium faced less PMS. If consumption of calcium enriched foods and regular exercise is enhanced, your PMS in winters can be improved.

• Pain during periods

During winters, the blood vessels get compressed which means a narrow path for blood flow. Because of constricted vessels, there could be an interruption during periods. Consequently, much pain during periods is felt. You may use a hot water bottle or a heating pad to soothe the vessels and lower the pain.

• Imbalanced hormones

Imbalanced hormones are another factor that may exacerbate your periods in cold weather. Since there is limited sunshine, the endocrine system is not affected and the thyroid could slow down and a slower thyroid results in slow metabolism. The slow metabolism rate concludes to longer period cycles till the body gets to adjust to the weather changes.

The imbalance of hormones could also increase the experience of PMS. Once the body gets adjusted to the new temperature, the hormones balance on their own. You must talk to your gynecologists if your periods don’t return to normal after one or two months.

• Menstruation Cycles

Menstruation cycles are affected exorbitantly by the cold weather. The changes have been linked with many factors like sunlight, air temperature, and atmospheric pressure. According to the studies, sunlight has been the major factor influencing the menstruation cycles.

Ovaries are much more active during summers than in winters. In winters, the frequency of ovulation gets decreased from 97% to 71%. Also, the secretion of FSH(Follicle-stimulating hormone) is less than in summers and the menstruation cycles are longer.

To avoid such changes in the winter season, sit in the sunlight for as much time as possible. Consume foods enriched with vitamin D to compensate for lack of sunlight, this way your menstrual cycle gets regularize.

10 Questions About Your Period You’ve Always Wanted to Ask

Can winter delay periods?

The cold weather affects people from mental and physical perspectives. According to gynecologists, winters may also affect cycle length. The increased secretion of hormones enhanced ovulation frequency, and the shorter cycles by 0.9 days(less than a day) during summers as compared to the winters, was demonstrated in the women living in warmer and colder areas. Therefore, the delay in periods is noticed during winters.

Is white discharge a sign of an upcoming period?

Due to the enhanced presence of progesterone that is the hormone involved in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy, a discharge before the period is cloudy or white. There is white thick discharge after the ending of two to three days of pregnancy. Its consistency changes after a few days and it appears to be similar to mucous. The discharge becomes sticky and clear before the next period initiates.

you may also interested in “Everything You Need to Know About Vaginal Discharge“.

How can you observe if your period is coming soon?

When the periods are approaching, cyclical acne may break out on your chin and jawline area. Your breasts could have a feeling of tenderness or swelling. Before 1-2 weeks of your periods, you could feel cramps in the lower belly. Due to a change in the level of estrogen, you could feel a headache before your periods.

Why do I have cramps but no period?

You could have cramps but no periods, the most probable causes for having cramps could be pregnancy, constipation, appendicitis, or even cancer and ovarian cysts.

When should I go to the doctor for a late period?

You must talk to your doctor if you haven’t had your periods for three months, or your at-home pregnancy test comes out to be positive. There is another case of Amenorrhea, in which there is a complete absence of periods for a non-pregnant woman before menopause.

Why do I get cold during the period?

During menstruation, your body is susceptible to immune system cell changes. You could be prone to cold just right before your period starts. Till the 14^th day of your period from the first day, women have high levels of antibodies, so maybe equipped better equipped to fight with such viruses.

Why are periods worse in winter?

In winters, the frequency of ovulation lowers from 97% to 71%. As compared to summers, the secretion of FSH is quite less and the menstruation cycles are longer. Lowered ovulation and longer menstruation cycle may exhaust the duration of periods.

What should we not do in periods?

During your periods, you must not consume painkillers, caffeine, salty foods. You must not get wax during your periods. Don’t have unprotected sex during periods. Don’t consume lots of dairy products.  Don’t wear a tampon for more than four hours. Don’t get a breast exam during your periods.

What prevents cramps in cold weather?

To prevent cramps in cold weather, you may apply a heating pad that may assist to relieve sore and stiff muscles. Too much sitting may also be a cause of frequent cramps, so keep moving your body with light stretching and exercise. In the colder months, pay attention to your H2O intake and stay hydrated. Also, don’t overuse your muscles during winters and avoid strenuous activities.

Does coffee increase menstrual flow?

Consuming coffee at the time of menstruation can actually worsen your cramps. Being a vasoconstrictor((narrowing of blood vessels), caffeine constricts the blood vessels in the body. This may cause the vessels that feed the uterus to tighten and makes the cramps during periods more painful.

If you still have any queries and experiencing painful or delayed periods in winters, visit your gynecologist or Naturopath.