Regular menstrual cycles usually last for four to six days and occur every 21 to 28 days. If your menstruation is sporadic or irregular, though, you have an irregular menstrual cycle. Fortunately, there is no need to worry as 30% of women experience this, too. 

By definition, irregular menstruation refers to any type of bleeding outside of a regular menstrual cycle - be it an early, late, missed or continuous period. Early signs of irregularities are when the cycle of menstrual cycle is shortened to a cycle of just 24 to 26 days. This stage is also known as perimenopause. 

Soon, the cycle length will increase and you will start to skip periods entirely. You could also experience a lot of blood flow, followed by a very light flow or just spotting. Other things you might experience include hot flashes, trouble sleeping, night sweats, depression, mood swings and vaginal dryness. 

During the stage of perimenopause, blood flow becomes irregular and heavy or won't show up at all because the levels of progesterone and estrogen rise and drop dramatically, as well. However, irregular bleeding might also occur because of ovarian cysts, dysfunctional uterus bleeding, polycystic ovarian syndrome or endometriosis. 

One way to regulate your period would be by balancing out your hormones, which can be done by consuming non-estrogenic herbs like phytoestrogenic herbs. These herbs don't have a lot of plant hormones in them and can thus increase the hormone secretions of the female body. 

Other good treatments include oral contraceptives and medical procedures like hysterectomy and hormone replacement therapy. 

Changes in your lifestyle, like exercise and diet, will also play a vital role in your hormonal imbalance treatment, so make sure you consume a balanced diet at all times. Usually, insufficient fat amounts and a lack of nutrition can also cause menstruation to stop. 

Conversely, if you want to find relief for menopause symptoms like headaches and irritability, you should practice some stress-relieving methods like yoga, mediation and aromatherapy. 

Aside from the methods mentioned above, a lot of women have tried effective and safe supplements and they now rave about, as well, so make sure you do your research.

What Is Menopause?
Menopause is a normal condition that all women experience as they age. The term "menopause" can describe any of the changes a woman goes through either just before or after she stops menstruating, marking the end of her reproductive period.

What Causes Menopause?
A woman is born with a finite number of eggs, which are stored in the ovaries. The ovaries also make the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which control menstruation and ovulation. Menopause happens when the ovaries no longer release an egg every month and menstruation stops.

So Then, How Does Natural Menopause Happen?
Natural menopause is not brought on by any type of medical or surgical treatment. The process is gradual and has three stages:

Perimenopause. 
This typically begins several years before menopause, when the ovaries gradually make less estrogen. 
Perimenopause lasts up until menopause, the point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last 1 to 2 years of perimenopause, the drop in estrogen quickens. At this stage, many women have menopause symptoms.

Menopause.
This is the point when it's been a year since a woman last had her last menstrual period. At this stage, the ovaries have stopped releasing eggs and making most of their estrogen.


Postmenopause.
These are the years after menopause. During this stage, menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes ease for most women. But health risks related to the loss of estrogen rise as the woman ages.