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Has your period come early this month? Here are 9 reasons why

Whether they come early or late, your periods say a lot about your health. These 9 reasons for early periods will help you understand what’s happening in your body.
menstruation
Periods are an important biological process in every woman's life. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Geetika Sachdev Updated: 30 Oct 2023, 15:58 pm IST
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As women, we go through various experiences in life, and while there’s a lot to share in the sorority circle, periods do not feature in that list. That’s because even though most women have their menstrual cycles every month, it happens differently in the case of every woman. There are some who have shorter periods, while others have much longer ones. There are some who deal with irregular periods, while others have to deal with their periods happening early. 

When we talk about early periods, in most cases, it isn’t a cause for concern if it happens once in a while. Your menstrual cycle begins on the first day of your current period, and ends on the first day of your next period. On average, a typical cycle ranges anywhere between 21 to 39 days, so the number of days you bleed varies from person to person. 

In case your cycle is shorter than 21 days and you bleed early often, then it could be a sign that there’s something wrong with your body. 

These could be some of the possible causes of early periods: 

1. Perimenopause

As the name suggests, this is the period before menopause, and generally begins either in the mid-forties or later years, and goes on for four years, in most cases. During this time, hormone levels witness drastic fluctuations, which might not lead to ovulation every month. This could lead to irregular periods, and you might frequently have early periods.

In some cases, women also experience hot flashes, vaginal dryness or irritability.

2. Intense exercise

You might think doing intense workouts in the gym is helping your body, but guess what? Everything requires balance. Too much vigorous exercise can cause your period to stop. This is a condition that is most commonly seen in athletes. Even if the periods don’t stop, it causes early periods because without proper energy, your body doesn’t produce adequate amounts of hormones to ovulate in a normal manner. 

reasons for early periods
Vigorous exercise can cause your period to stop. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
3. Regular fluctuations in weight

In most cases, any changes in your period is linked with your weight. Whether it is rapid weight loss or weight gain, anything can have an impact on your hormones, When that happens, your periods get impacted, which could lead you to get your menstrual cycle before time.

4. Stress

Well well well, how can any list be complete without the mention of stress? Having high stress levels can adversely impact your hormones, causing irregular periods. It could be because of traumatic events in your life, or there could be some other reason, whatever be the cause, try and find ways to unwind and de-stress yourself.

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5. Hormonal birth control

The hormones that are present in birth control pills have a direct impact on ovulation and in turn, your periods. If you regularly take birth control pills, then the timing of your next period will depend on when during your cycle you started taking pills. Moreover, other birth control options like intrauterine devices can also cause period irregularities, but only in the initial two to three months.

6. PCOS

Another common reason for early periods is PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome, which affects 1 in every 10 women. In fact, it goes unchecked in a lot of women, until they try having a baby. Some of the most common symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods, missed periods, acne, weight gain and excessive body hair.

reasons for early periods
You just can’t afford to ignore PCOS. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
7. Endometriosis

This menstrual disorder occurs when the tissue that lines your uterus starts to grow outside of the uterus. In this condition, women do not just go through irregular periods, but also experience severe menstrual cramps, lower back pain and pain during sex. 

8. Uncontrolled diabetes

When diabetes is not diagnosed on time or is managed poorly, then blood sugar levels are much higher than usual. A study conducted in 2011 found that those with type 2 diabetes had irregular periods.

9. Thyroid disease

It is believed that one in eight women will have a thyroid condition in their lifetime. When the thyroid gland does not function properly, your metabolism and menstrual cycle goes for a toss. In most cases, periods are much lighter than usual and come in early too. There is also unexpected weight gain or loss.

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About the Author

An independent writer and journalist, Geetika loves sharp and fresh humour, just like her coffee! If not writing, you'll find her cafe-hopping and raiding the best book stores in town. ...Read More

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