Traveling can affect your rules. Here's how.

The period of a person is a frustrating and unpredictable thing, and this only exacerbates on a trip.

If you're wondering if travel affects your period, here's what doctors have to say.

For many people, it could be stress

The holidays are great, but not all trips are fun and fun. Missed flight, baggage loss or navigation in an unfamiliar environment can all contribute to the stress level of the trip. This could make your hormones go wild.

"Travel can permanently alter menstrual habits," INSIDER Dr. Alyssa Dweck, MS, MD, a gynecologist at CareMount Medical in Westchester County, NY, told INSIDER. "Travel is stressful for many women.Stress can alter ovulation and hormonal changes well orchestrated and accompanied that entails."

But this is not all stress, it can be a good stress, also called eustress, like being too enthusiastic for your vacation.

"The stress can come from anything, such as that caused by the excitement of a trip or the stress of a delayed flight," explained Dr. Donnica Moore, a facilitator of the podcast "In The Ladies & # 39; Room" at INSIDER. "Stress works by affecting your hypothalamus, which in turn can affect all your hormone levels."

Changing time zones and lack of sleep can alter your circadian rhythm

Your circadian rhythm is essentially the internal clock of your body. It influences your sleep patterns, the release of hormones, your eating habits and other bodily functions. Your circadian rhythm responds to clarity and darkness. Thus, when you cross time zones, your body is actively trying to find a way to return to its normal schedule, which could change your rules.

"Sleep deprivation – even changing just one or two time zones – can really mess up your circadian rhythms," said Dr. Moore. "And your circadian rhythms can also affect your internal hormone levels."

Add the time difference to the mix and you have a recipe for a modified menstrual cycle.

Habitual habit changes can ruin your rules

When you go on vacation, you are probably trying new foods, staying out later, sleeping longer or not exercising regularly. And while we are allowed to let go when we travel, our menstrual cycle is wondering what's going on in the world and it could work.

"Travel involves changes in general habits, such as diet, sleep, hydration or exercise, all of which affect menstruation," Dr. Dweck told INSIDER.

These changes of habit could lead to illness

I do not know about you, but I am the kind of person who inevitably falls sick when I travel. My body just can not fight the germs of a plane filled with choking and coughing.

"Stress can also include the stress of the disease," said Dr. Moore. "You are exposed to different types of viruses and bacteria than what you are used to.You may be eating different foods, you drink different water, and your exercise and nutrition habits. may be totally out of order. "

So your periods can be affected when your body is working hard to fight the disease. Dr. Moore also noted that changes in altitude (which can lead to altitude sickness) can affect your menstrual cycle. It is important to keep this in mind when skiing or trekking in the high mountains.

If you are on contraception, your menses are more likely to arrive on time

"If you take the pill, if you forget to take it, the first means of transportation can affect your period," said Dr. Moore at INSIDER. "Changing time zones can wreak havoc on your pill calendar, as well as on your endogenous hormonal calendar."

Be aware of time zone changes when you take your birth control pills at the same time each day. This will help you avoid any menstrual irregularities.

If you are preparing for a big trip or are already living on vacation, do not worry about your period. Give your body time to adapt to changes in time zone, habit or stress that accompany a trip.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what's causing a hard time, so if you're not convinced that the trip is to blame, it's probably best to talk to a doctor to find a cause and solution to these frustrating problems. of your time.

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