Why your Period is Missing/Irregular
Back when I was 17/18, although I definitely didn’t see it at the time, I was pushing my body to its absolute limits.
I was spending hours in the gym each day, under-fuelling, and feeling mentally strained from VCE.
Safe to say, my body was under quite a bit of pressure and she was stressed!
And eventually, I lost my period.
For 8 months.
Of course, losing my period became another source of stress - which created a particularly cruel little cycle of its own.!
At the time, I didn’t understand what was happening. I just knew that my period had disappeared.
Fast forward to now, and this experience is a huge part of why I love working with women experiencing missing or irregular periods.
Because when a beautiful client presents with a similar picture, I genuinely get it.
I know how frustrating it can feel when your cycle suddenly becomes unpredictable, and how confusing it can be when you’re told to simply ‘wait for it to come back’.
But your period is giving you information. And when it’s missing or irregular, that shouldn’t just be ignored. Let’s break down some of the most common reasons why this occurs that I see in clinic.
Your period may not actually be ‘late’
One of the biggest misconceptions around menstrual cycles is that a late period always means something is wrong with the period itself.
Often, the more useful question is: ‘When (if at all) did I ovulate?’
Your period generally arrives around 10-16 days after ovulation.
This means that if you ovulate later than usual, your period will also arrive later.
For example:
You usually ovulate around day 14 → your period may arrive around day 26-30
You ovulate on day 25 → your period may arrive around day 35-41
So your period isn't necessarily ‘late’. Ovulation was simply delayed.
And there can be a number of reasons why this happens…
So, what can delay ovulation?
Stress
When the body perceives that resources are limited or that you're under significant pressure, reproductive function can become less of a priority. When stress hormones (like cortisol) rise, your brain enters ‘survival mode’ & pauses ‘non-essential’ functions like ovulation & reproductive health to conserve energy.
This can disrupt the communication between the brain and ovaries that coordinates ovulation.
And when ovulation is delayed, so too is your bleed.
Think emotional & mental stress, but also physical stress like overtraining/under fuelling.
This is particularly relevant for women experiencing hypothalamic amenorrhoea (HA), where factors such as low energy availability, excessive exercise and psychological stress can suppress the reproductive hormone signalling needed for ovulation.
And yep - this is exactly what I experienced as a teenager.
2. PCOS/PMOS or hormone imbalances
If your periods are often irregular, it could be a sign of hormonal dysregulation.
With PMOS/PCOS or other hormonal conditions (including thyroid conditions, high prolactin...), ovulation may not occur regularly, meaning periods can be late, missed, or unpredictable.
With PMOS/PCOS, this is often due to higher androgens or insulin resistance, which can interfere with the signals that trigger ovulation.
3. Illness, travel, or lifestyle shifts
Big changes in sleep, nutrition, medication, time zones, or even your workout routine can temporarily confuse your body’s hormonal rhythm.
Your brain and ovaries communicate through a delicate feedback loop, and any disruption between the two can delay ovulation.
Often, once you return to normal routine, your cycle usually rebalances naturally.
4. Nutrition & energy intake
Undereating (even if unintentional, and oh so unfortunately common amongst women) or skipping meals can signal ‘low fuel’ to your brain.
This again, disrupts that communication between the brain & ovaries, halting ovulation so the body can focus on conserving energy.
If you’ve been eating lighter, training harder, or under more pressure, your body may delay your period as protection.
What if you have no idea when you ovulated?
This is where things can get a little tricky.
If you're relying solely on a calendar or period-tracking app, it's easy to assume that your period is ‘late’.
But an app can estimate when you might ovulate based on previous cycles - it can't accurately tell you when you actually did.
This is why tracking things like:
Cervical mucus
Basal body temperature
Cycle length
Changes in symptoms
can provide much more information about what's happening throughout your cycle.
When should you investigate a missing period?
One missed or delayed period can happen from time to time, particularly following illness, significant stress or a major lifestyle change.
But if your periods are consistently irregular, you've gone several months without a period, or your previously regular cycle has suddenly changed, it's worth investigating.
A missing period can be a sign that ovulation isn't occurring regularly, and it's important to understand why.
***
I’ve experienced first hand the incredible healing that naturopathy can offer in this space, and helping women regain their cycle (a consistent, regular one at that!), lights me up!!
To get your body feeling supported and comfortable, there is soooo much work we can do to nurture that stress response, and find out where that communication between the brain & ovaries is kinked, so you can get your cycle back and keep her around.
So if you're wanting to get your cycle back, or have a consistent cycle, book in a FREE discovery call to find out how we can get you there or dive into an initial consultation.
Much love,
Ash x
