How Late Can a Period Be? Plus, Why It’s Late

Why Periods Can Be Late?

According to the Seattle Children’s Hospital staff, a later period is defined as a menstrual cycle that is 5 or more days overdue compared to normal menstruation frequency. This is in contrast to a missed period which is marked by no menstrual cycle for 6 weeks or more.*

Late periods are a common concern simply because they can happen somewhat regularly for many women and they can be caused by many things. For instance, any woman can experience a late period simply because they are stressed out, have some hormonal imbalance, have experienced weight changes, disrupting their birth control cycle, changed their diet, and many other factors.

Late periods can happen to any woman too. At this point, you may be asking yourself, ‘how late can a period be?’ Let’s explore the answers.

How Late Is Considered Normal?

First, let’s define a “normal” menstrual cycle. The normal length of a menstrual cycle as defined by the Mayo Clinic is 21-35 days. However, it’s important to remember that there is no universal timeline for menstrual cycles because every woman’s body is different.

So if you are just a few days off of this 21-35 day cycle, there is usually no cause for alarm. Again, in order for a period to be medically considered late, it would have to be late by 5 days or more.

Common Causes of a Late Period

Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that can delay your period. Here are the most common causes:

• Hormonal Birth Control - Changes in hormone cycling can disrupt your menstruation. If you have just started a new birth control or stopped taking your usual one, you may experience menstrual delay.
• Stress & Lifestyle Changes - Pubmed reports that stress can cause longer menstrual cycles, shorter cycles, and late cycles. 
• Changes in Weight - Significant changes in your body composition can also disrupt your hormonal balance and cause late periods.
• Increased Physical Activity - Are you training for a marathon or getting good use out of your new gym membership? If so, changes in physical activity levels may also cause menstrual delays.
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) - PCOS is a very common condition that affects the ovaries and can cause acne, affect fertility, and delay menstruation.
• Thyroid Disorders - Your thyroid also produces hormones that may disrupt menstruation when they are not in balance.
• Illnesses - Some chronic illnesses like diabetes and some medications can affect your delicate hormone balance and cause late periods.
• Pregnancy - Of course, pregnancy will cause late periods. The maximum delay in periods if not pregnant is about 5-7 days. Pregnancy is one of the most common causes of later periods so you should have a pregnancy test handy just in case.
• Menopause - Menopause can slow down your menstrual cycle and ultimately, cause them to stop altogether. Some menopause supplements can actually support menstrual irregularities and help you avoid common symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes.

What’s the Difference Between a Late Period and a Missed Period?

So what if your period is 5 days late? This is typically considered just a late period as they are defined as delayed menstruation for 5 days or more. This differs from a missed period which is classified as a delay in menstruation for 6 weeks or more.

So if you have a 4 days late period, there is typically no cause to panic as it is not considered “missed” at such a point.

When Should You Be Concerned About a Late Period?

For the most part, if your period is late on a regular basis and you don’t experience a change in flow, you are fine. Late periods are very common and are usually not a sign of a larger problem. 

What is considered a late period may also vary from woman to woman. You may experience late periods of a couple days while another woman may regularly miss her period for 4-5 days.

When you should be concerned is when your period is consistently late. Other red flags include severe pain or heavy bleeding during your period. Always be sure to discuss these issues with your healthcare practitioner as they can signal more serious issues.

Tips to Regulate Your Period Naturally

Questions like ‘when is a period considered late?’ and ‘why is my period 4 days late?’ become moot when your period is consistently regular. And make no mistake about it, there are definitely ways to increase your chance of completely normal, regular periods:

• Eat A Healthy Diet - A diet of whole foods can support menstrual regularity. Foods like ginger, nuts, papaya, whole grains, leafy green vegetables, and fruit may improve menstrual health.*
• Lower Stress - Using relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, cardio exercise, or just unwinding with some herbal tea can help lower your stress levels and promote regular menstruation.*
• Proper Sleep - Sleep and hormone function are inexorably linked. So getting a healthy 7-8 hours a night may help improve your menstrual regularity.*
• Supplements - Certain nutrients can also contribute to hormonal and menstrual health. Look for supplements with ingredients like evening primrose, black cohosh, magnesium, and vitamin D.