Whether you’ve had a few irregular cycles during the pandemic already or are waiting longer than normal for a period, you are not alone. While we’ve known for ages that stress or changing times zones can temporarily shift the timing of the menses, so too can colds, flus, COVID and as it turns out, the COVID vaccine. While it can be weird, especially if your periods are like clockwork or you’ve not experienced this before, if you are trying to conceive naturally, this can be really frustrating. According to a study done by the NIH, the shift in cycle length from the vaccine, however, is temporary and often extends the cycle length by only 1-8 days.
Despite how irritating this sudden irregularity may seem, our bodies are intelligent and wise! When they perceive something as a threat, whether that’s a global pandemic, a virus, financial stress, relationship stress, etc., our bodies prioritize survival. This survival system exists from long ago when we roamed the earth and were more in tune with our environment. While these perceived threats today may look less like a hungry bear, and more like a deadline or financial strain, the same mechanisms activate as a way to protect us. This act of protection can impact the way the brain and ovaries communicate, which in turn, affects the rhythm of the menstrual cycle.
If your cycle is longer than usual, it may feel like your period is late or that you missed it, but what you might actually be experiencing is the result of a delayed ovulation. Our cycle length and regularity depend heavily on the timing of ovulation. The time between ovulation and the period is called the luteal phase, and is generally a static 12-14 days, but it’s the first half of the cycle after the period until ovulation, called the follicular phase, that can have more variability and be susceptible to acute stress, making our cycles longer or shorter some months. For more information on tracking ovulation read more here.
Why does the vaccine and/or stress sometimes impact our cycles?
In response to stress (emotional or physical in the body from the virus), the brain sends signals to our adrenal glands to produce more of the hormone, cortisol through the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis. Cortisol production can be prioritized over the production of reproductive hormones needed for ovulation and reproduction such as estrogen and progesterone as they share similar building blocks and pathways. [1] HPA axis activity can also affect the Hypothalamic Pituitary Ovarian axis, which is the way the brain and ovaries communicate in order to grow and release an egg each month. This can lead to delayed ovulation, longer or irregular cycles, anovulation (no ovulation), and possibly hormonal imbalances creating a worsening in PMS symptoms such as moodiness and breast tenderness.
How can you help yourself?
While we can’t control many of the stressors in our lives right now and WE ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND GETTING VACCINATED, we CAN control how we relate to stress in our lives and how we take care of ourselves in response. It’s important to remember that your body is working EXTRA hard right now and is doing the very best it can. For many, the time during the pandemic has surfaced feelings of fear, grief, loss, and vulnerability. Try to respond with gentleness and think of your self-care practices as acts of self-preservation.
Emphasize practices that help to regulate your nervous system and calm the mind, which lets your body know that it’s safe and balances the stress-response. Try mediation, breathwork, taking warm baths, listening to calming music. Prioritize taking care of your mental health through journaling, talk therapy, connecting with loved ones, and setting boundaries with news watching or reading, etc. Stay hydrated, eat nourishing meals (emphasizing anti-inflammatory foods), get adequate sleep, and exercise (dancing, yoga, walking, or light jogging are great for our nervous systems). Consider supplementing with magnesium glycinate or herbal adaptogens such as Ashwagandha which helps regulate cortisol levels. [2] Read more here if you’re having more trouble with PMS symptoms.
If you are pregnant or trying to conceive, talk to your doctor about timing your vaccinations optimally so you can protect yourself, but not negatively impact upcoming fertility treatments. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) also has a helpful fact page on Covid, vaccines, fertility and pregnancy. Taking care of ourselves and our responses to stress is not a one size fits all approach. If you’re looking for more individual care, working with a specialist such as an Acupuncturist, Herbalist or talk therapist can help address and support your particular concerns.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4166402/
[2] Chandrasekhar, K., Kapoor, J., & Anishetty, S. (2012). A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian journal of psychological medicine, 34(3), 255–262. https://doi.org/10.4103/0253-7176.106022