For many women and people with periods, menstrual cycles are a daunting subject. Between seemingly random mood swings, painful cramps, sleep disturbances, and a plethora of other side effects, many feel their periods are a mysterious burden that they are forced to cope with silently each month.
However, in recent years there has been a societal shift from women and people with periods simply being at the mercy of their periods, to endeavouring to understand and take control of their menstrual cycles. This change in attitude and behaviour has been aided by the rapid rise in popularity of cycle tracking apps such as Clue, Flo, and Natural Cycle. The most obvious benefit in tracking your menstrual cycle are the predicted dates of when your next period. That said, there are many other benefits to understanding your menstrual cycle, some of which are highlighted here:
The myth of the ânormalâ cycle
Firstly, it is important to understand and conceptualise what is meant by the term âmenstrual cycleâ. Commonly, there is a misconception that the length of the menstrual cycle is the number of days a person bleeds. However, a personâs cycle is actually the number of days from the beginning of one period until the start of the following period. We typically think of a menstrual cycle being 28 days in length, meaning that day one of the cycle is the first day of your period, and day 28 is the last day before the next period begins. However, most women and people with periods find that they do not have this textbook cycle, with medicine classifying a ânormalâ cycle anywhere between 21 and 35 days in length.
Whether using an app or going old-school with a diary, tracking your cycle is a fantastic way to discern what a typical cycle is for you, allowing you to hopefully predict when you are likely to start bleeding again. A really simple and effective way of tracking is to record when your period begins and ends, and any associated symptoms experienced during this phase of your cycle. Furthermore, it can be useful to take note of any symptoms and feelings that are experienced at other points in your cycle, such as cramps, breast tenderness and headaches. It is also useful to record changes in emotional and physical health, such as fluctuations in sleep quality, energy levels, and mood. Recording these various developments throughout the month can be a valuable method of identifying patterns and feeling more in control at any given time point during your cycle.
Understanding your overall health and wellbeing
Your menstrual cycle is a direct indicator of your overall health. Tracking your cycle over a number of months can be incredibly useful in identifying any irregularities and changes that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. If you experience a sudden change in your menstrual cycle, this may point to something in your lifestyle that is affecting your hormonal health. A disturbance in production or signalling of our hormones can have a causative effect on changes to our period and cycle. For instance, weight loss, strenuous exercise, stress, and medical conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis have all been shown to cause a change in cycle length, heaviness of periods, missing periods, or even stopping periods altogether; a condition known as amenorrhea. These changes in the otherwise regular cycle can be linked to increased cortisol release, which can interfere with the signalling of our sex hormones that regulate our menstrual cycle.
Crucially, if you are experiencing a sustained change or cessation of your cycle, or unexpected bleeding between periods or after sex, then it is always advised to speak to your GP.
Sex drive as indicator
Although the primary benefit to understanding your cycle is to ability to predict when your periods are likely to begin and end, there are numerous extra benefits that centre around patterns in your behavioural, emotional, and sexual health. For instance, many women and people with periods report experiencing fluctuations in their sex drive throughout their menstrual cycle. This is caused by changes in the levels of the hormone oestrogen during the cycle, with oestrogen peaking around ovulation; the time of the month when an egg is released from an ovary and we are most fertile. As a result, some women and people with periods report having a stronger desire for sex, and feeling more confident and outgoing. As such, it is a great time of the month to schedule interviews, presentations, socialising with friends, or even go on a date.
Exercise and more
Another great benefit of tracking your cycle is personalising your exercise regime to the changes in your energy levels throughout the month. For example, it may be useful to determine which days in your cycle are optimal for training and which days may be better suited for resting. Many people report feeling their performance is reduced during days one to five of their cycle which corresponds with low sex hormone levels. Whether you are a high performance athlete or regular exerciser, understanding how your cycle may influence your performance, when to maximise training, and how to optimise recovery can prove very useful. Other benefits to working with your cycle and hormones include identifying how your sleep changes throughout your cycle, how your appetite may fluctuate, and tracking your cycle as a form of natural contraception or pregnancy planning.
Working with your cycle is a fantastic way to better understand your body, align your daily life with potential fluctuations in your cycle, and feel more in control.
For more information and guidance around understanding and working with your cycle, follow Womenâs Health Practitioner Maisie Hill on Instagram @_maisiehill_ or NHS Gynaecology Doctor Dr Anita Mitra @gynaegeek.