Ever taken a vacation, then come home to find your period is MIA?
It’s not just a coincidence! Travel-- even the fun, rejuvenating kind-- often puts stress on the body, which trickles down to your menstrual cycle hormones.
Even if your destination is a sunny beach or cozy alpine lodge, your body interprets the temporary changes as stress.
Think about it: your sleep, nutrition, movement, habits, surroundings and possibly even time zones can change rapidly when you travel.
A few ways travel might mess with your cycle:
Circadian Rhythm Disruption
Your body relies on rhythms. When those rhythms get thrown off, your body experiences stress, even if you don’t notice it mentally.
Take your circadian (24 hour sleep/wake) rhythm, for example. The circadian rhythm involves sleep and stress hormones. When sleep goes haywire, your light exposure changes or you jump time zones, your body needs time to catch up (and might feel pretty crappy in the meantime).
When travel disrupts your daily rhythm, whether it be sleeping patterns or a time zone change, your body considers it a stressor. Your stress hormones influence a ton of other hormones downstream-- even your eating and reproductive hormones, possibly leading to changes in your menstrual cycle.
Delayed Ovulation
Late period? Nope. Late ovulation!
The time between the start of your period and ovulation (the follicular phase) is variable. It might change cycle to cycle. However, the time between ovulation and the start of the next cycle (the luteal phase) is static, person-to-person. For example, your luteal phase might always be 13 days, while your friend’s is always 12 days. Your period is always “on time,” coming 13 or 12 or whatever-for-you days after ovulation.
Sometimes, when you experience stress, your follicular phase lengthens, delaying ovulation. This makes it seem like your period is late, when in reality, your ovulation occurred later than expected that cycle.
Many people find that traveling can delay their ovulation by days or even weeks. So, don’t be too alarmed if your period doesn’t come the day you originally expected. (And, if you’re prone to panicking, charting your fertility will bring you peace of mind.)
Lifestyle Factors
The menstrual cycle is run by the brain, and the brain connects everything in your body. So, a ton of travel habits and activities could have a downstream effect on your period, whether it’s delaying ovulation or changing your period and PMS symptoms:
Anxiety or excitement about an upcoming trip
Sleeping less or sleeping earlier/later
More alcohol/partying
Trying new foods
Changes in exercise
Dehydration
Sickness while traveling
Of course, travel is supposed to be fun! So, there’s no need to over-analyze the temporary changes that might occur from enjoying your trip. You can minimize disruption and maximize comfort if you’re mindful and prepare.
So, what can ya do?
Chart your cycles to know what’s truly going on!
You’ll be able to know when/if you ovulate, when it’s impossible to get pregnant, when you have a ~2 week countdown to the start of your period and more.
Flying on your period?
On hormonal birth control?
If your birth control suppresses ovulation, you shouldn’t experience period changes due to travel, as long as you continue taking the medication. Just be extra careful to take the pill on schedule, since forgetting to take it can totally mess with your hormones (and potentially leave you able to get pregnant).
Prep as you approach a big trip.
Pre-adjust to a new time zone using an app (like this one) that tells you how to gradually change your light exposure and melatonin patterns in the weeks beforehand.
Pack to support sleep.
Bring whatever you need to sleep well at your destination: your own pillow, ear plugs, eye mask, CBD, whatever!
Support your hormones during the trip.
Hydrate, eat a balance of macronutrients and sweat throughout your trip, if possible.
Bonus points if you adjust based on what phase of your cycle you’re in, which we also cover in the course. ;)
Supporting your hormones and honoring the biological phases of your menstrual cycle are keys to feeling happier and healthier every day, whether traveling or chilling at home.
Balance your biology, up-level your life.
Get access to the course to learn all you need to know to hack your hormones and make your period your superpower.