Stress
Even though holidays offer the opportunity to relax away from your busy life back home, they aren’t completely stress-free. Before you even leave for the airport there are bookings to be made, planning has to be done and, if you are away for a long period, there’s the stress of leaving behind your family and friends as well.
Then there is the stress of the holiday itself where negotiating airports and finding your way around new destinations can all prove challenging, even for the most frequent of travellers. Also, even the fact that your routine has been broken or that a new sleeping schedule has been established can act as stressor, putting strain on the body and upsetting your menstrual cycle. So, why does stress have an impact here?
Well, stress triggers the fight or flight response in the body causing it to focus on immediate survival rather than reproductive processes. It may seem a bit overkill that the body should shut down because of a little bit of holiday stress but the reasons for this response go way back to our cave men days!
Then stress meant life or death, whether it came in the form of lack of food or an animal attack, so shutting down the body helped focus on the stressor and therefore survival. Today the source of stress may be a little different but the body’s response is not.
If you are feeling a bit axious about an upcoming trip you could turn to Stress Relief Daytime. Made from extracts of fresh valerian hops, this helps to ease mild stress and anxiety.
Jet lag
If you’ve been on any long haul flights in the past you’ve probably had experience of jetlag which can be uncomfortable and frustrating. Not only can it put a halt to your plans for holiday day trips and sightseeing, but jetlag can affect your period too.
Hormonal changes
As you move from one time zone to another hormonal changes can occur and this can affect the menstrual cycle.
When it gets dark and bed time draws nearer, the brain produces the sleep hormone melatonin which tells the body it’s time to go to doze off. However, if you go travelling this hormone is still produced by the body, even if the time difference means it is still day light in your new location. So, to adjust to the new time zone the body suppresses melatonin until its dark but, in turn, this can cause your period to come a little later or sometimes not at all.
This change in hormones is less problematic if you are travelling once or twice a year however, if you’re going on a long distanced flight more often, this is when significant problems can arise. Research has shown for example, that the long, irregular working hours of cabin crew contributes to a higher prevalence of menstrual irregularities.1 This is a group of women who must deal with jetlag on a regular basis.
Problems sleeping
As your melatonin levels are disrupted by jetlag, other problems can begin to arise such as problems sleeping. So, if you are not getting enough shut-eye at night, other issues like fatigue and lack of concentration become problematic too. This puts the body under stress which, as I’ve already mentioned, can mess with the menstrual cycle.
If you’d like a bit more advice on sleep issues it’s worth having a look at our sleep hub, written by our sleep advisor Marianna.
What if I’m on contraceptives?
Those on non-hormonal contraceptives like the coil could still see changes to their menstrual cycle as a result of the stress and jetlag that comes with travel. However, those on hormonal contraceptives like the pill are less likely to be affected. That’s because these contain an artificial version of the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone which are naturally produced by the body. As the cycle is artificially triggered, the cycle can keep functioning regularly.
Nevertheless, I realize that as you move around different time zones and fill your days up with activities on holiday, it can be easy to forget to take the pill. So, in this sense even when you are on the pill, travel can still upset your cycle.
Tips for managing your period as you travel
I’ve described how travel can interrupt your monthly flow so by now you are probably wondering what you can do about it. Here are my top tips:
Set alarms on your phone so you don’t forget to take the pill
Before you set off on your travels you can easily set an alarm on your phone that will go off every day to remind you to take the pill. This also ensures that you are taking the pill at the same time each day which isn’t easy if you’re travelling. However, ensure the alarm is set for what will be a reasonable hour in your new time zone – you don’t want to have to roll out of bed just to take the pill!
Be prepared
Ensure you pack menstrual products even if you are not expecting your period whilst you are away. After all, your hormones can fluctuate as you travel so you wouldn’t like to be caught out on your trip!
Pack your pads and tampons in your hand luggage
This will ensure that you are not caught out as you travel through the air! However, remember that if your period starts on the plane and you haven’t got any products with you, cabin crew will usually be able to help.
Give it time
Jetlag usually sorts itself out within a few days so if you find your period hasn’t come or it’s late, give it a cycle or two to get back to normal. If it’s still not right after that, take a visit to a doctor to get the issue checked out.
Track your period
This will help you to understand and keep track of what’s going on with your period as you travel.
Remember that everyone is different!
For some women their next adventure will not affect their period but for others it will. Everyone experiences the menstrual cycle differently and so it is no surprise that travel affects us all to varying degrees as well!
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