Long Menstrual Cycles

Around 90% of women will suffer from irregular periods as they approach menopause and many find that they experience long menstrual cycles for as long as ten years before menopause. Long menstrual cycles are not only inconvenient but they can also be painful and affect other areas of a woman's life. The article below has detailed information about the causes of and treatments for long menstrual cycles, so keep reading to find out more.

What are long menstrual cycles?

irregular periods time Women typically have their own period pattern throughout their reproductive years, yet no-one is completely regular within their menstrual cycle. Periods can vary in regularity from 23 to 35 days, but they are classed as regular if they occur at roughly the same date each month. At a certain age the frequency between periods starts to fluctuate considerably, making them extremely difficult to keep track of.

Long menstrual cycles are also known to cause irregular periods. This means that women do not properly develop and release a mature egg every month as they should do. There are different types of long menstrual cycles affecting women:

Amenorrhea: Absence of periods for more than 60 days in a woman of reproductive age. Usually occurs during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Menorrhagia: An abnormally heavy and prolonged menstrual period. It may be associated with unusually painful periods (dysmenorrhoea).

The causes of long menstrual cycles can be divided into two groups; psychological and physical. Psychological factors aren’t as common and therefore physical causes are generally believed to be responsible for triggering long menstrual cycles.

irregular periods long Psychological causes for menstrual disorders: Anxiety and other forms of emotional daily stress, over-exertion, and fatigue can cause menstrual disorders. If these factors are not properly controlled, they could make a woman emotionally unstable.

Physical causes for menstrual disorders: As women age, their bodies start to reduce hormone production and this can lead to levels of the menstrual hormones estrogen and progesterone becoming imbalanced. This state of imbalance is a well-known cause of irregular periods, particularly long menstrual cycles.

The following article explains in more detail the steps to take in controlling long menstrual cycles.

What can I do about long menstrual cycles?

The most important thing to do in working out which treatment to use for combating long menstrual cycles is to establish whether your problem is caused by psychological or physical factors.

Psychological: Long menstrual cycles can be caused by anxiety, stress, overdoing things, and fatigue. Although women often have busy and stressful lives, it’s important to make time to relax, especially if suffering from poor health. Keep in mind that with most cases of problematic long menstrual cycles, a combination of psychological and physical treatment is best.

Physical: Long menstrual cycles can be triggered by imbalanced hormonal levels. If left untreated hormone imbalances involving estrogen and progesterone can lead to severe symptoms. There are several ways to manage long menstrual cycles, but the most effective way is by combining therapies such as “lifestyle approaches” and alternative medicine.

Click on one of the links below to learn more about the various treatments for long menstrual cycles.