Written by Ciara Walsh, Dietetic Student and Intern at EK Nutrition. Reviewed by Elle Kelly, R.D. 

 

One of the most common questions I get from women struggling with hypothalamic amenorrhea is: “How long will it take to get my period back?”

And while I understand the desire for a clear timeline, the truth is: there isn’t one-size-fits-all when it comes to HA recovery.

Some women get their period back in a matter of weeks whilst others can take months. It can depend on your starting point and how able you are to implement the necessary changes, which usually links back to your current relationship with food. 

 

Here’s the truth about how long it will take to recover…

Recovery largely depends on how many behavior changes you can make at a time, how soon you start, and how consistently you stick with these changes. That’s why the process looks different for everyone.

Interestingly, research suggests that the length of time your period has been missing doesn’t matter as much as you might think. Whether it’s been three months or three years, the main determining factor for how quickly you can get your period back is how soon and consistently you start making the real, necessary changes to support your recovery.

This includes:

• Increasing your energy intake
• Reducing exercise intensity and frequency
• Restoring body weight if needed

 

Recovery sounds simple on paper… but it’s not always in reality

On paper, HA recovery might seem straightforward: eat more, move less. 

But for many of the women I work with, making these changes is incredibly challenging, especially if you’ve struggled or are still struggling with your relationship with food, exercise and their body.

That’s why true recovery often begins with inner work, reflecting on what behaviors have led to your period going MIA in the first place, and being willing to let go of them. If that sounds overwhelming, you’re not alone. This part of the journey takes time and requires a lot of self-compassion, which I’m here to support you with every step of the way if you need it.

The most important takeaway? Recovery is possible, and some change is always better than no change.

 

Working hard but still no period?

If you’ve already made some changes and your period still hasn’t returned, it might be time to ask yourself a few hard, but important questions:

What types of foods are you eating?

Eating more food overall is important, but the types of food also play a role in HA recovery, and usually it’s fats and carbs that are lacking. 

I often see women still holding onto rigid food rules regarding what types of foods they choose and what time they are ‘allowed’ to eat. 

So let me ask you this:

• Do you still avoid particular foods or food groups?
• Do you still feel like you need to be in control of how much you eat?
• Do you still have rules about what time you can and cannot eat?
• Do you still stress when others are cooking for you?

If you resonate with this, it’s completely understandable and please know you’re not alone. It is really challenging to break away from any food rules you have created for yourself, and people tend to choose foods that feel safe to them during recovery. 

Are you eating regularly?

Even if you’re hitting your overall energy needs across the day; how and when you eat that food matters. Your body needs to see a consistent and reliable energy supply, especially from carbohydrates and fats, in order to feel safe enough to restart your cycle. Skipping breakfast, delaying meals, or only eating “safe” foods can all undermine your recovery, even if your total intake looks sufficient on paper.

Are you still over exercising?

Maybe you’ve reduced training sessions or swapped out HIIT for yoga, but your period still hasn’t returned, this could be a sign your body still isn’t getting the full rest it needs.

It’s important to remember that movement of any form costs the body energy and exercise does place a level of stress on the body. So even low-intensity exercise can still place stress on an already stressed body. For many individuals, it is possible to get their period back whilst still exercising, it’s just a matter of making the right adjustments and modifications to support recovery. This might look like:

• Taking a few complete rest days (yes, even from “active rest”)
• Stop compensating for reducing your exercise by over doing it on your step count
• Eating enough to fuel both your training and daily activities whilst also meeting the requirements of your body for just general healthy wellbeing
• Scaling back on the intensity and duration of your sessions

It is great if you can dive right in and reduce exercise from the start, however, for many people, this is actually quite challenging. This means changes will look different for everyone, with some preferring to scale back gently and others preferring to take some time off. The rate at which someone is able to do this will influence the timeframe of regaining their cycle.

It is also worth considering that maybe your version of scaling your exercise routine back is still not enough to reduce your stress levels to fully support recovery, and further reductions may be required. 

Are you addressing all aspects of recovery?

We know that HA is caused by stress of some form, whether that is psychological, physical or a combination of both. This stress can come from:

• Over-exercising
• Training fasted
• Not eating enough
• Not resting or sleeping enough
• Losing weight or maintaining a low body weight or body fat

Recovering from HA usually requires you to address more than one behaviour to reduce overall stress on the body. So, if you’re only working on one aspect of recovery, for example eating more but still training hard or holding onto certain food rules, you’re sending mixed messages to your body.

Something I see quite often is that women will work on improving their energy intake but continue to exercise intensely to “balance it out.” This keeps the body in a stressed state which will get in the way of your recovery. 

 

Remember: Recovery Is Possible

There’s no magic number of weeks or months when it comes to recovering from HA. But if you’re willing to make changes, even small ones, and stay consistent with those changes, your period will return.

You don’t have to do this alone. If you’re struggling with HA, confused about where to start, or stuck in the recovery process, I’m here to help guide and support you.

If you feel like you’re ready to take the next step, get in touch and let’s work on your recovery together.