Can anxiety cause a delayed menstrual period?
Sep 10, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhang Lu
Introduction
In general, whether anxiety can cause menstrual delay depends on the severity and duration of the anxiety. Short-term, mild anxiety usually does not lead to menstrual delay; however, long-term, severe anxiety may cause delayed menstruation. To prevent anxiety from affecting the menstrual cycle, it is recommended to relieve anxiety through regular exercise, meditation, and engaging in hobbies.
Generally speaking, whether anxiety can cause menstrual delay depends on the severity and duration of the anxiety. Short-term mild anxiety usually does not lead to menstrual delay; however, long-term severe anxiety may result in delayed menstruation. Detailed analysis is as follows:
If the anxiety is short-term and mild, such as emotional tension caused by temporary tasks or brief life changes that can be quickly relieved through self-regulation, it typically does not significantly disrupt the endocrine system. In such cases, the menstrual cycle generally remains normal and does not get delayed. The physical condition can quickly return to normal after relaxing through listening to music, walking, or communicating with friends and family to release emotions.
When experiencing prolonged severe anxiety, such as continuous emotional tension caused by high-pressure work or major life crises that cannot be relieved independently, the cerebral cortex may remain continuously stimulated, thereby interfering with the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis function and causing hormonal imbalances, particularly in estrogen and progesterone secretion. This disruption can affect the normal growth and shedding of the endometrium, leading to delayed menstruation. Some individuals may also experience reduced menstrual flow or shortened menstrual periods.
To prevent anxiety from affecting menstruation, it is recommended to relieve anxiety through regular exercise, meditation, and cultivating hobbies in daily life.
