IRREGULAR PERIODS, A CAUSE OF PREMATURE DEATH?

Did you know that women who suffer from irregular periods have higher chances of premature death? 

But, how do you define irregular periods? What are they? Let’s see

WHAT ARE IRREGULAR PERIODS? 

Irregular periods are like your typical toxic boyfriends. They ghost you for a while, then come back to take you completely by surprise, acting as if nothing ever went wrong between you guys. Yes, most of you know what we are talking about.

For those of you who can’t relate, we are here to clear it up for you: 

If you have a period that shows up regularly after every 28– 30 days, you have a normal period.

What is irregular menstruation or abnormal period :

• If your period shows up within 20 days 
• If your menstrual cycle lasts more than 38 days
• A period that varies drastically in terms of its occurrence 

SHOULD YOU BE WORRIED?

What exactly is it that causes you to have an abnormal period? Is it a cause for concern? 

It is common for your menstrual cycle to vary just a little bit from month to month. Some of the cases where an irregular menstrual cycle is not unusual or dangerous are:

• Stress is not good for you or your body. It messes up a lot of functions that your body performs, including menstruation.

• Certain medications can cause your hormonal balance to tip-off, causing irregular periods.

• Natural shifts in your levels of hormones as you go through the different stages of your life and The changes your body undergoes with them to adjust. 

• Starting or stopping hormonal birth control pills can cause you to have irregular periods because the pills directly stop your process of ovulation. Many people might not even have a real period at all but just experience withdrawal bleeding. 

• If you are somebody who has just started their menstruation, it’s just puberty that’s causing you to have irregular periods. You can sit back and relax. 

• If you are going through a phase before menopause settles in for good, meaning you are somewhere between 40 to 50 years of age or older, it is normal for you to have slightly erratic periods. It is natural that your periods throw a huge fit because they can trouble you no more. 

• If you are breastfeeding a young one and are having an abnormal period, do not worry. The hormone prolactin in your body, which helps produce milk for breastfeeding, throws off the hormonal balance, which regulates your period, causing irregular periods. 

No matter if it’s your first bleeding or last, we’re here to make it better for you. RIO Sanitary pads are made with material that does not chafe your skin, absorbs liquid like a pro, and gives you protection like no other. We are 100% sure after making the switch, you will never look back at ordinary pads. RIO Pads are sulphur, bleach, paraben, and chemical fragrance-free. 

Choose you, choose RIO! 

But before we get too happy, buckle up because this is actually where the scary part begins. 

You could be experiencing abnormal menstruation because of some underlying health conditions such as:

• PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome – PCOS is a syndrome where a woman’s body starts producing an excess of androgenic or male hormones. This could cause irregularities in your periods. Symptoms you should watch out for are:

• Acne
• Depression 
• Excessive hair growth in your face, chest, and other body parts
• Trouble in conceiving
• Extremely heavy bleeding during periods 

If you are experiencing heavy bleeding during periods but the products available in the market are just not cutting it for you, this is what you should do. Choose RIO Heavy Duty Pads. RIO pads absorb your heavy flow like a pro; after all, we are absorbency specialists! The pads don’t bunch up in odd places or cause rashes and irritation. All RIO pads are sulphur, paraben, and chemical fragrance-free.

• Eating disorders – Many eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder can cause you to have irregular periods. Your chances of having an abnormal period are more if you have dropped weight. Symptoms of an eating disorder are as follows: 
• Fasting then eating too much food.
• Extremely restricting your food and calorie intake.
• Eating a lot of food even when you’re not hungry. 

• Thyroid disease – Your thyroid gland produces hormones that help in regulating bodily functions like your metabolism, heart rate, and even your periods. Thyroid disease can cause irregularities in your periods. Symptoms of thyroid disease are:

• Sleeping trouble
• Skin sensitivity
• Anxiety
• Hair loss
• Weight gain or weight loss, etc.

When have women ever had things easy? Menstruation, too, society has taught us to believe has to be an inconvenient and painful experience. We learned from our mothers who learned from their mothers, who learned from their mothers. But it’s time to break the chain. See a doctor when you notice things are wrong, don’t keep waiting and hesitating. Your problems are no joke; they could prove fatal if ignored.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE IRREGULAR PERIODS?

Besides visiting your doctor, you can do the following things to help:

• Tracking Periods- Tracking periods can help in predicting the time of your next ovulation; this is helpful, especially if you’re trying to get pregnant. You will also be able to see similar patterns in your menstrual cycle and take action accordingly. Write in your diary or use apps that are freely available on the internet today. 

• Eating healthy- What you eat has a direct relationship to the way your body behaves. Eat plenty of veggies, fruits, and healthy meals that include all the nutritious elements.

• Exercising – It will help your body maintain a healthy balance; it affects your hormonal levels. Obesity can lead to abnormal periods, too. Make sure you are moving enough every day.

• Sleeping – Get enough sleep. It sounds like something your parents would tell you. We are here to confirm that they are absolutely right. Sleep does help in almost any issue that you’re having in your body. It is the time when your body can heal and relax by itself.

There are a few other health conditions that have also been linked to irregular periods. However, all of these diseases or syndromes are treatable or can be managed by a health professional. The bottom line is that you must make at least one visit to your doctor to see if everything is fine.

 Most importantly, don’t stress and be happy!