Throughout the month we may experience different emotions, physical changes, and this can be difficult when we are trying to just live a happy life, be in a stable relationship and not be affected by every little thing. Unfortunately, if you were born a woman you have to deal with these even after you get to the menopause. Better to learn sooner than later how to beat the karma of being a woman with PMS, right?
Nevertheless, if we learn how our body and our cycle changes, we can also find ways to make sure we treat our body and mind well. We do not want to hyper focus on these, but being aware can go a long way to avoid feeling lost without knowing why.
There are basically three hormones playing a role on how we feel throughout the month, these are estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. You can read more about these on this post.
BLEED ?
This is the first stage of our cycles, it starts on the first day of your period and the reason why you bleed is because your uterus lining is shedding, therefore you are “menstruating”.
Your hormones at this stage: estrogen and progesterone levels are at their lowest.
You may feel: mood swings, feelings of anxiety, irritability, sadness and depression. Cramps or pelvic pain from the shedding of the uterus are very common, as feelings of fatigue and tiredness due to the physiological changes triggered by the hormonal fluctuations.
How you can help yourself during this stage: avoid caffeine, limit salt, processed foods, increase water intake, apply heat to the lower abdomen to help with cramps, lots of sleep, rest and engage in self care. Very light exercise such as yoga, walking or swimming can help too, but this is the time when you can give yourself at least a day to retire. Fortunately, the world is changing and for example, in 2023, Spain’s legislation was the first in Europe to give women the right to a paid “menstrual leave” of 3 days. ?
*personal note: I always have severe pain during my first heavy day of shedding (menstruation) and being in the jacuzzi, or just lying down watching a movie with my hot water bottle as done wonders for me. After a couple hours of excruciating pain I feel so much better! This is not possible every month as I need to work, but when I am off work you will not see me jumping and running around as if I had been casted for a tampon commercial. ?
RISE ☀️
On a second stage, called scientifically “follicular phase”. This is your fertile period, your body is, let’s say, happy!
Your hormones at this stage: estrogen and testosterone levels will start rising.
You may feel: more energy (gradually increase), more motivated, more attractive, positive sense of well-being, increased confidence and sense of femininity, improved physical coordination, balance and concentration.
How you can help yourself during this stage: this is the time to enjoy life, get out there, socialise, exercise, look and feel beautiful, you are yourself again!
SHIFT ?
This is the first half of the luteal phase (after ovulation), and your hormones will be fluctuating until we get back to the BLEED phase.
Your hormones at this stage: estrogen and testosterone will drop very quickly. Though, the progesterone levels will start rising until the midpoint of the luteal phase.
You may feel: decreased energy and libido, increased irritability and mood swings.
REFLECT ☔️
This is the second half of the luteal phase and the last stage of the cycle.
Your hormones at this stage: high levels of progesterone build up and then drop, along with decreasing estrogen levels.
You may feel: sad, depressed, anxious, mood swings, decreased interest in daily activities.
How you can help yourself during the SHIFT and REFLECT stages: the so often referred to as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is caused by the shift in your hormones. This can be a very emotionally difficult time of the month.
You should try to exercise, sleep, find ways to manage your stress and keep that feeling of well-being you experienced during the RISE stage. If the symptoms are very acute and you feel really down, consider talking to a therapist, to learn how to reshape your negative thoughts or to your physician. There are supplements that can help reduce PMS symptoms including the mood changes.
| BLEED | RISE | SHIFT | REFLECT | |
| Estrogen | Decrease | Increase | Decrease | Decrease |
| Testosterone | Decrease | Increase | Decrease | Decrease |
| Progesterone | Decrease | Increase | Increase | Increase |
| Symptoms | ? ? ? ? | ?? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? |
Overall Takeaway
Being aware that I am going through this hormonal changes has helped me by reminding myself this is all a temporary state in my body and mind and that I should take care of myself, fight the negative thoughts and do not let myself dwell on these feelings.
I use the free version of the Moody app from AppStore, it helps me
track my moods and hormones. If you use a paid version you can also get expert wellbeing support across nutrition, mindfulness and movement – all tailored to your cycle ⬇️ Just follow the link below:
https://link.moodymonth.com/download
While the menstrual cycle can be painful and challenging to us and our loved ones, it is also a testament to the incredible female body. Rather than seeing it as burden we can learn about it, take better care of ourselves, embrace it and honour it. Ultimately, this can lead us to a more positive and empowered relationship with our femininity.