When you first begin your menstrual cycle, your periods may be irregular at first, but then will become more regular with time and age. If you've had your menstrual cycle for years and you're finding that your periods are becoming irregular, it may be due to several different factors. Irregular periods don't necessarily mean there is something wrong, but you may want to know what's going on with your body. A visit to your gynecologist can help you figure out what is going on and why your periods are becoming irregular. Read on for a few things that may be causing this issue and what you may be able to do about it.

Stress

Stress can cause a number of health issues for the body. Stress can be caused by your work, your relationships, or your home life. Stress can cause physical and mental health issues, and it can also affect your period. If you are under a lot of stress, your period may be heavier than normal for some, spotty and lengthier, or it may not come at all. Stress needs to be managed properly to keep it from having too much of an effect on the body. If you are under a lot of stress, there are things you can do to manage it. Exercising can help, reading a book, or doing other things you enjoy doing to take your mind off of the stress you are under.

Poor Diet 

If you have a poor diet or have lost a lot of weight rapidly recently, you could have amenorrhea, which is a condition in which the body no longer has a menstruation period. Once you put some weight back on and begin to eat properly again, the body will slowly get your period back, although for some in order to regulate your period again, you will need medication such as birth control pills. If you aren't eating enough or are eating a poor diet, it's time to take a look at what you've been eating and change your diet to prevent other health concerns as well.

Age

As you get older, your periods are going to change. They may be light one month and heavy the next. As you get closer to perimenopause, you will notice other changes to your body as well, including mood swings, crying more often than usual, low sex drive, and other changes as well. To help regulate your period, hormone replacement or birth control pills will help.

If you have irregular periods, you should discuss this with your gynecologist and figure out what is causing this issue and what treatments may help. Make an appointment with your gynecologist.