Align with Your Menstrual Cycle Phases to Be Healthier, Happier, and More Productive

Every woman needs to know this: modern society was structured to accommodate a man’s steady 24-hour hormonal rhythm, not the ebb and flow of your 28-to-32 day cycle. And if you have a hard time keeping up with the rigid 9-5 workday and the typical 40-hour work week, this is a big reason why.

A man’s hormones reset every day. Their mornings begin with peak levels of testosterone and it gradually decreases throughout the day, reaching the lowest point at night.

In contrast, women get to go on a month-long adventure of hormone highs and lows. A woman’s hormonal cycle is divided into 4 main phases. Each phase lasts about a week and is characterized by fluctuations in hormones. And as estrogen and progesterone rise and fall throughout the month, your mood, energy levels, social battery, physical needs, and food preferences change. 

This is why you love a high intensity workout one week and hate it the next. It’s why you can be mentally alert, focused, and crushing your to-do list at the beginning of the week and wanting to quit your job by Friday. And it’s why you feel energized and productive at 2pm one day, but need a nap at the same time a few days later. 

You’re not lazy. You’re a woman, and that’s a beautiful (and very powerful) thing . . . especially when you understand how to optimize the phases of your menstrual cycle to work with your fluctuating hormones instead of against them.

The phases of your period cycle are about way more than your monthly bleed.

If you’re like most women, you know your period as an annoying monthly visitor who shows up whenever she feels like it with her uninvited guest—PMS. But what goes on behind the scenes of your entire menstrual cycle is so much greater than this short 5-6 days you’re already so familiar with. 

You might feel the urge to slow down and rest more during your monthly bleed, but are you listening to what your body’s telling you the rest of the month? 

There are 4 phases to your menstrual cycle, and this is how they work.

There are 4 phases: the follicular phase, ovulatory phase, luteal phase, and menstrual phase. Here’s how to live in alignment with each.

FOLLICULAR PHASE

The follicular phase begins when your period stops and lasts until ovulation. For these 10-ish days, energy levels are beginning to rise and creativity is flowing. 

During your follicular phase, focus on eating more sprouted and fermented foods that metabolize estrogen like sauerkraut and kimchi. It’s also a great time to make sure you’re getting lots of vitamin C and eating healthy fats like what’s found in avocados, olive oil, butter, eggs, and quality meat.

Here’s what your body is doing during this phase—your pituitary gland releases the follicular stimulating hormone and 11-20 eggs begin to develop. But only 1 egg matures during this time. Estrogen rises towards the end of this phase, the uterine lining starts to thicken, and the ovaries prepare to release an egg. 

Rising estrogen levels can cause a spike in energy and sex drive. This is the perfect time to double down on time invested on a work project and do longer bursts of cardio like hiking, cycling, kickboxing, or running. 

If you’re trying to get pregnant, the last couple of days of this phase is go time! When you’re trying to make a baby, you actually want to start having sex before you ovulate to take advantage of all your peak fertility days. Since sperm can stay alive in your cervical mucus for up to 5 days, it will be ready and waiting for your egg to drop.

OVULATORY PHASE

Ovulation typically occurs about 14 days after the first day of your period. You’ll be the most outgoing, active, and energized during this time, so plan to catch up with friends or do a little networking during your ovulatory phase (which lasts about 3-4 days). 

Testosterone surges during this time right before dropping back down quickly. Use this phase to get your blood circulating! High-intensity workouts like that new spin class would be great to try out. Eat anti-inflammatory foods that support your liver and lots of water-dense fruits. Think seafood, sushi, fruits, veggies, and dip. Light and fresh is the name of the game.

Libido is sky high during your ovulatory phase and if you’re trying to get pregnant, your eggs are viable for a short 12-24 hours after ovulation occurs so take a romp in the sack as soon as you get the inkling to. 

If you want help knowing how to tell when you’re ovulating and how you can increase your fertility window, book a virtual Fertility Consult.

LUTEAL PHASE

This phase happens during the 10-14 days after ovulation, leading up to your period (or pregnancy). If your egg was fertilized during ovulation, it implants into the uterine lining. If it wasn’t, you’ll shed the lining of your uterus soon—aka get your period. 

This is when those pesky PMS symptoms might begin popping up, making you feel more inclined to curl up on the couch than to hit the ground running in your newest sports bra.This is due to the rapid decrease in testosterone that can leave you feeling physically and mentally sluggish. 

During your luteal phase, both progesterone and estrogen continue to rise until the end of the phase to prepare your body for menstruation. Your energy levels will be lower as your uterine lining is preparing to shed, so this is the time to do low-impact exercises like walking, pilates, or lifting weights. You may not feel like a social butterfly, and that’s okay. 

Focus on eating nourishing starches and iron and magnesium-rich foods. Leafy greens, quinoa, and sweet potatoes are wonderful additions. Avoid alcohol, carbonated drinks, artificial sweeteners, and refined salt to combat PMS symptoms before your period comes. 

MENSTRUAL PHASE

Aunt Flo, leak week . . . your period. You know this phase well, as it’s the 5-7 days of bleeding. Rest is your friend during this phase as progesterone levels decrease, your uterine lining sheds and estrogen levels drop to their lowest point. 

Don’t fight the urge to lay low during this phase. Lay low and try not to push yourself to do things that can be done another time. You’ll feel more introspective and in-tune with your emotions, so you may even want to try journaling or do a little goal setting for yourself.

Eat hearty, grounding, and comforting foods like grass fed steak,sweet potatoes, soups, and teas. Foods that boost your magnesium and iron levels, like nuts, seaweed, bananas, and leafy greens, and dark chocolate, are especially great. It’s also good to incorporate foods that are rich in essential fatty acids, such as avocados, wild fish, cod liver oil from cod, and hemp seeds.

A rejuvenating walk in nature or a little light yoga session is the perfect amount of gentle movement for your body as it prepares to start the cycle over again.

Menstrual Cycle Tracking FAQs

What is considered a normal period?

Women should not be suffering through their periods. Your period is not a curse. It’s a blessing. And a healthy period should sneak up on you without any PMS symptoms or breakthrough bleeding. The ideal period is bright red in color and lasts 5-6 days without any clotting or cramping. If you’re experiencing anything other than this, you’re suffering unnecessarily.

What is considered an irregular period or menstrual phase? 

Ideally, your menstrual cycle should be 28-32 days and your period should last 5-6 days. While your period matters, ovulation is even more important. A large number of women who experience a monthly bleed aren’t actually ovulating. This is especially true for women on birth control since hormonal contraceptives shut down this process entirely. 

Unfortunately, a lot of women don’t think about ovulation until they’re trying to get pregnant, but making sure you’re actually ovulating each month is a key step to regulating your irregular periods.

How do I regulate my period?

The short answer is: NOT WITH BIRTH CONTROL. And here’s a longer explanation. If you want a regular period that’s free of pain and clotting, you need to shift your focus away from the symptoms and toward the reason they’re happening in the first place. That means living in a way that naturally supports healthy blood sugar, inflammation levels, and gut health. It means making sure your liver is properly detoxing, your blood is nutrient-dense, and your nervous system is regulated. And it means naturally balancing your hormones without synthetic alternatives. You don’t have to be perfect, but some things will absolutely have to change. And you’ll need to be committed to prioritizing these changes. 

How do I know what phase of my cycle I’m in and how do I track my period?

For most women, the easiest way to track your cycle will be to wait for your period to arrive. You may want to log it in a journal, add it to your calendar, or use an app meant for cycle tracking. It may take a while to become familiar with the changes you experience during each distinct phase, but tracking your period along with your dietary choices, physical activity, and overall mood in a simple notebook will make all the difference in the world.

When a woman taps into her menstrual cycle, she becomes unstoppable. 

Tracking your cycle and aligning your schedule with your period phases will help you minimize distractions, maximize your effectiveness, and make everyday tasks feel more life-giving instead of draining. When you know you’re doing the right thing at the right time in the right way, your life will radically change for the better.

If you’re not trying to get pregnant, doing this on your own is a great way to optimize your energy and feel your greatest. If you’re hoping to have a baby soon, I recommend booking a Fertility Consult so you can learn about the tools available to you to know all of the ins and outs about your body.