How Stress Effects Your Period

Gemma Knaap
Aug 25
3 min read

A dictionary definition of stress with the word stress highlighted in pink

If you’ve ever noticed your period disappear during a stressful month — or felt like perimenopause symptoms hit harder when life gets chaotic — you’re not imagining it.

Stress has a powerful impact on your hormones. And during perimenopause, when your hormonal landscape is already shifting, the effects of stress can feel amplified. Let’s explore how this connection works — and what you can do to support your body through it.

Your Brain and Hormones Are Always Talking

The communication between your brain and ovaries is known as the HPA-HPG axis. When your brain perceives stress (whether it’s emotional, physical, or internal), it activates the HPA axis — your hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands — to release cortisol, your primary stress hormone.

This response is designed to help you survive danger. But when stress is persistent or chronic, the signals to your reproductive system can get disrupted.

Stress Can Suppress Ovulation

Ovulation requires a delicate hormonal surge — particularly LH and FSH — which can be blunted when cortisol is high. Without ovulation, your body doesn’t produce progesterone that cycle. And without progesterone, oestrogen becomes unopposed, which can lead to:

Heavier or longer periods
Breast tenderness
PMS and irritability
Increased anxiety
Sleep disruption

You may also notice your cycle becomes longer, shorter, or more erratic — especially if you're already in the perimenopausal transition.

Why Perimenopause Amplifies the Impact

During perimenopause, your ovaries are producing hormones less consistently. Oestrogen levels can swing dramatically, while progesterone tends to decline more steadily.

At the same time, your nervous system becomes more sensitive to stress. This means even small stressors can trigger stronger reactions — like:

Night waking
Mood swings
Feeling “tired but wired”
Anxious thoughts that seem harder to shake

These symptoms aren’t all “just hormones” — but the hormonal shifts of perimenopause make your stress response more reactive. It becomes a two-way street: stress affects your hormones, and changing hormones affect how you process stress.

Supporting Your Body Through Stress and Hormonal Shifts

The goal isn’t to eliminate stress — but to support your resilience. When your nervous system is nourished and your blood sugar is stable, your hormonal rhythms have a better chance of finding balance. Here’s how you can support that:

1. Start with blood sugar balance

Big energy crashes trigger more cortisol.

✔️ Build meals around protein, healthy fats and fibre

✔️ Eat regularly — especially a grounding breakfast

✔️ Avoid long gaps between meals where possible

2. Nourish your nervous system

Nutrients like B-vitamins, magnesium, and omega-3s help regulate your stress response.

✔️ Include leafy greens, oily fish, nuts, seeds and eggs

✔️ Don’t skip complex carbs — your brain and adrenals need them too

✔️ Aim for real food over perfection

3. Prioritise rhythm and rest

Sleep isn’t just about hours — it’s about routine.

✔️ Wake and sleep at consistent times

✔️ Create boundaries around screens and evening stimulation

✔️ Allow space for rest that isn’t just sleep (e.g. reading, daydreaming, doing nothing)

4. Move to regulate, not deplete

Exercise is a powerful tool — but the type matters.

✔️ Swap long cardio for strength, walking or yoga when you're feeling worn down

✔️ Focus on consistency, not intensity

✔️ Movement should help you feel better, not more depleted

5. Create small calming rituals

Stress relief doesn’t need to be time-consuming.

✔️ Try breathwork, mindfulness, or even 5 minutes in the garden

✔️ Use transitions in your day (e.g. after work, before bed) to reset

✔️ Choose practices that feel nourishing, not like another task

6. Consider herbal and nutritional support

Adaptogenic herbs and key nutrients may support your stress response — but it’s important to choose what’s right for your body.

✔️ Herbs like Withania (ashwagandha) or Rhodiola may support resilience

✔️ Magnesium, B-complex vitamins, and omega-3s can be helpful for calming the nervous system

✔️ Speak to a practitioner for tailored guidance

The Bottom Line

Stress is more than just a feeling — it has tangible effects on your hormonal health. Whether you’re noticing changes to your cycle, sleep, or mood, supporting your stress response can help ease the transition through perimenopause and beyond. And remember — it’s not about getting it perfect. It’s about finding small, repeatable ways to support your body every day.