Can anxiety and stress cause a late period?? (ladies only, please)

[greenzebra]

For the past two weeks I've been having bad anxiety (I used to have it really bad, but for the most part it's underlying and comes and goes), and for the past week I've been bloated, cramping, really moody and irritable, and my chest is sore (even though I normally get that around ovulation, but this time I didn't). Yesterday was exactly 4 weeks since my last cycle, and I'm kind of panicking because it hasn't come yet, even though I know it can take a few days and honestly I think mine varies by a few days, but I don't really keep track. I'm not sexually active, so the chances of me being pregnant are just about impossible (my boyfriend and I mess around sometimes, but he's never gotten anything on me and we never even get close), but of course anxiety still puts that at the back of my mind. Can stress just be causing all of this?

[greenzebra]

I've also been working out a lot and undereating (I've been trying to eat more, but I net around 1200 after exercise most days, just because I burn more than I have the appetite to eat back), so could that cause it?

[vardnas]

Yes, absolutely stress can cause wonky periods.

Also, do your periods come always right on the same day of the month? I don't know about you, but mine comes between 24 and sometimes even 28 days apart, so, there's typically some leeway.

But yes, anxiety, plus not eating much, plus heavy exercise can all play a roll. And darling, there is NO WAY you could be pregnant. None.

[msgb98]

OMG YES.
Has with me in the past and currently.
If over stressed and have anxiety it can mess with all sorts of things.
There is the hormone cortisol that messes with stress and hormones are what direct your cycle.

[mariea]

Yes!  Anxiety and stress can delay ovulation. Typically a woman gets her period about 14 days after ovulation, but everyone is different and it could be a little different for each individual, but 12-15 days after ovulation is the norm.  Once you have ovulated nothing will really delay your period, but many things, including stress, can delay your ovulation, or even stop you from ovulating that month, and it will have have a direct effect on when your period arrives.  If you are anxious mid month, there is a good chance it delayed ovulation which will cause delayed period.  Not eating a lot, exercising a lot, taking a lot of advil are some of the other things that can delay ovulation.

[helplessdancer]

I've had this exact worry. I knew there was no way I could be pregnant, but I still kept worrying about it! But try not to worry about it, I'm sure it will come soon enough. It probably also doesn't help that you haven't been eating much. If a woman gets below a certain percentage of body fat, she will stop having her period. I doubt that you are that underweight, but I think that girls who exercise a lot often have more irregular periods. So I would say the combo of stress, not eating much, and working out a lot is causing you to be a little late.

PS-There are websites that help you keep track of your period and send you emails to remind you when it's coming up, which I find handy.

[greenzebra]

Thank you all :) I'm at a healthy weight for my height, so I'm not underweight at all. My periods are normally pretty regular, and sometimes they're maybe a week off, but for the past few months my hormones have been driving me crazy, so I'm wondering if it's an imbalance or something.

[AlaskaMom]

heck yes anxiety causes late periods! Also, taking ibuprofen before you are supposed to start can make you late, too.

[smmaho]

Yes yes and yes! Happened to me many times! Each time I freak out each time my fiancé says its stress each time his right!

[greenzebra]

Okay, I'm glad it's not just me haha. It's just weird because my cycles are normally regular, even when my anxiety was really bad and I was having panic attacks daily a few months ago. I'll just try to eat more and hope for the best.

[LivD]

Definitely!

[greenzebra]

Okay, false alarm haha. It ended up coming last night, on day 30 of my cycle, which is totally normal for me. I guess anxiety's back full force.  Thank you for the help everyone!