MENSTRUAL PHASE: (inner winter)

During this time, most of your sex hormones are low (estrogen + progesterone in particular), so it is normal to notice a dip in energy levels, you may feel slightly more tired than other times in your cycle and just want to curl up with a good book or chill out over this time.

This is your monthly release, shedding away your last month and getting ready for the next cycle. So if you feel a little introverted, that’s fine, it’s important to listen to what your body needs.

The shedding of the uterine lining roughly days 1 – 5, but the bleed can last anywhere from 3 – 7 days. If the bleed is any shorter or longer, it’s a sign your hormones might be out of balance. Taking note of your colour and flow can also be great indicators of what’s going on in the body (later posts to come on that). 

FOLLICULAR PHASE: (inner spring)

This is where we see our energy levels start to pick up, as our hormones estrogen and testosterone start to rise gradually. You may feel more inclined to get active, socialise or get creative on a project you’ve been working on! 

This phase is roughly days 6 – 13. If inspiration hits or you feel like you could tackle a few more cardio sessions, this is the time to do it! Estrogen gives us a lovely boost of energy at this time, and you will most probably have a tendency to feel more extroverted.

You may notice that any hormonal symptoms you had have disappeared by this time, and you are feeling lighter and happier within yourself. 

OVULATION (OVULATORY) PHASE: (inner summer)

Not going to lie, this is my favourite time of the month (if ovulation occurs… remember there are a number of stresses that can make you skip over this phase completely *sad face*). 

During this phase, you are likely to feel incredible, confidence is boosted, curvaceous, glowing, high libido you is ready to take on the world and tackle anything during this time, thanks to our good friend estrogen (if she is in balance). 

Somewhere between days 14 – 20 our beautiful egg is being released into a fallopian tube and our bodies are trying to make ourselves as attractive as possible to a mate… Yup! Whether you like it or not, your body’s goal every single month is to fall pregnant! (So be careful if you are getting busy!)

Whilst fertilising the egg might not be your goal (this month, or ever), you can still use this energy, and momentum to your advantage! Put your mind to things that you really want to push yourself in, a great time for social events or powerful conversations, along with hitting the gym hard (testosterone is also at a high here). 

LUTEAL PHASE: (inner autumn/fall): 

The phase where we quite often cop the brunt of the symptoms if our system is out of balance, it is here where we should get a dip of our estrogen and testosterone and a beautiful rise of progesterone (if you have ovulated), and although more introverted, a feeling of being calm and grounded leading up to your next release… 

However, it is very common for there not to be progesterone produced, or if there is, not enough of it to calm down our system. This phase lasts roughly from ovulation day to the end of your cycle (anywhere from day 16 – 35), so it is no wonder so many women feel like the second half of their cycle is a nightmare! 

During the luteal phase it is often a time to unwind, wrap up your things on the to-do list and prepare for ‘hibernation’ of the inner winter that is to come, so some extra TLC and self-care during this time will be super supportive. If you are someone who struggles with any symptoms such as PMS, insomnia, anxiety, mood swings or irritability during this phase, the self-care routines are even more vital for you!