If your period is late, first take a pregnancy test if you're sexually active; if negative, consider common causes like stress, weight changes, or exercise, and if it continues to be missed, see a doctor, especially if you miss more than three in a row, to rule out underlying conditions like PCOS or thyroid issues. Lifestyle adjustments (diet, sleep, stress management) and tracking your cycle can help, but medical advice is key for persistent irregularities.
A delay in the menstrual period can be concerning. For most women with regular cycles, periods typically occur every 21 to 35 days. A short delay—up to seven days beyond your expected period—can be normal and may be due to factors like stress, changes in routine, significant weight changes, illness, or travel.
Irregular periods can happen due to various factors. If they are not caused by some particular medical conditions, you can consume several natural remedies to induce periods, such as chamomile tea, turmeric, ginger tea, apple cider vinegar, and pineapple.
Contact your GP if:
you've missed more than 3 periods in a row but you're not pregnant. you've missed your period and have other symptoms such as weight gain, tiredness, hair growth on your face or acne. your periods stop before you're 45. you're still bleeding when you're over 55.
5 Ways To Jumpstart Your Menstrual Cycle
The 20 foods that may help make your period come faster include:
Medications and drugs
Some medications that can cause a missed period include antidepressants, antipsychotic drugs, chemotherapy drugs, and steroids. Cannabis and opioids can also make your periods irregular, less frequent, or may cause them to stop completely.
See a GP if:
you've missed your period 3 times in a row. your periods have not started by the time you're 16. you've missed your period and have other symptoms like weight gain or weight loss, tiredness, hair growth on your face and dry or oily skin.
Most women have an average menstrual cycle of 28 to 30 days. Besides, cycles shorter than 21 days or longer than 32 - 35 days are also considered normal. However, in cases where the menstrual cycle exceeds 35 days, this can be considered a sign of late menstruation (delayed menstruation).
The only reliable method for changing a menstrual cycle is by using hormonal birth control. However, diet, exercise, and stress reduction may also help. There are no ways to induce a first-ever period.
Here are the best foods to help you get your periods immediately.
If you experience regular periods and a week or longer passes without the start of your expected menstrual cycle, it could be a sign of pregnancy. Typically, it takes about four weeks after conception before a pregnant person will experience that first missed period.
The most common early signs and symptoms of pregnancy might include:
Common symptoms of PCOS include:
Experiencing period symptoms but no blood can happen when your hormones become imbalanced. This imbalance can be due to a poor diet, excessive caffeine consumption, or heavy drinking. Gaining weight or losing weight can be attributed to a lack of proper nutrition, which can also affect your menstrual cycle.
Supine Position (Lying on Your Back)
This helps increase blood circulation and ease muscles around the uterus. Practicing this sleeping position might aid in natural menstruation by easing the body into a calmer, stress-free state.
Stress can also delay your period. Research Link is external shows that perceiving yourself as highly stressed has a direct effect on menstrual cycles in people ages 20 to 40. If you are stressed all the time (chronic stress), your period may stop altogether.
Signs of irregular periods can include:
A stress period looks like menstrual changes due to hormonal disruption, featuring spotting, early/late/missed periods, heavier/lighter flow, longer duration, bigger clots, more cramping, worse PMS, and potential loss of libido, alongside physical signs like headaches, fatigue, muscle tension (neck/back pain), jaw clenching, and digestive issues, all stemming from elevated cortisol and disrupted reproductive hormones.
If your period feels stuck or doesn't seem to be coming out, it could be due to hormonal changes or from some type of obstruction. If your period feels unusual or different than normal, it's best to contact a gynecologist for an evaluation.
An overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) or underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) can cause menstrual irregularities, including amenorrhea. Pituitary tumor. A noncancerous (benign) tumor in your pituitary gland can interfere with the hormonal regulation of menstruation. Premature menopause.
If you start bleeding in the evening or overnight, it can be confusing whether to count that as your Day 1 since there are just a few hours left in that day. For the sake of simplicity, I recommend that you do count that as your Day 1.