But first, a recap of your ‘regular’ menstrual cycle.
To understand how stress affects your period, first we need a quick science lesson on how things normally run. Dr Sgroi explained it’s got a lot to do with your brain, because your brain gives orders to your ovaries, and your ovaries boss around your uterus.
“What normally happens is the brain secretes two hormones: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH),” he told Mamamia.
“FSH is like fertiliser, it provides hormonal support to the ovary in order to grow a follicle (a sac that can release an egg). Normally what happens over a 28-day period is the FSH causes the follicle to grow like a seedling in a flower box becoming a sunflower. When the follicle is big enough, in comes LH, which causes it to release an egg. The egg goes down the fallopian tubes and fertilisation occurs.
“Follicles produce…
