When I ask potential clients and those that are just starting out with me where they are in their menstrual cycle, the answer is usually a blank stare. And then something like “well my last menstrual cycle was two weeks ago”. No sis, it was not. Your last period was two weeks ago but your menstrual cycle is much much more than just your period.
What is the menstrual cycle?
The menstrual cycle, now considered the fifth vital sign by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics is arguably one of the most important biological rhythms in a cycling woman’s body. According to Merriam-Webster, a rhythm is “ a regular, repeated pattern of events, changes, activities…” Precisely what the female menstrual cycle is. It’s a pattern that repeats over and over and over from menarche (your first period) to menopause (your last).
This pattern consists of 4 phases characterized by the presence of specific hormones that lend themselves to specific effects on and needs of the body during each phase. When you begin to align with these 4 phases of your menstrual cycle you will not only feel more in tune with what’s happening internally, but you’ll be able to give yourself forgiveness for things you once loathed, and use your hormones to your advantage (think, weight loss & maintenance, better energy, productivity, sleep, and even sex).
The Phases
The phases of your menstrual cycle are unique and specific, you have four of them:
The Menstrual Phase
The Follicular Phase
The Ovulatory Phase
The Luteal Phase
The Hormones
Estrogen
Estrogen is a sex hormone that exists in 4 different forms - estrone, estradiol, estriol, and estretol, depending on what stage of life you're in. It is produced by the ovaries and is dominant in the first half of the menstrual cycle. It's responsible for building up the uterine lining to support possible pregnancy. Estrogen keeps your brain firing, your heart in tip-top shape, and is a big reason why your bones don't bend or break.
Progesterone
Progesterone is another key player in the cycle and fertility. It causes the uterine lining (thanks to estrogen) to thicken and support pregnancy after ovulation if an egg is fertilized and promotes healthy pregnancy. Progesterone is produced in your ovaries and adrenal glands after ovulation, and is known as the 'happy hormone.' It keeps you feeling chilled out, calm, sleeping soundly, and loving life.
LH
LH (luteinizing hormone) is a hormone made by your pituitary gland, a small gland located at the base of the brain, that controls the function of the ovaries in females (and testes in males). Around two weeks into your cycle, a surge in LH causes the ovaries to release an egg during ovulation.
FSH
FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) is a hormone associated with the development of eggs in women and sperm in men. It is also made by the pituitary gland, the main controller of secretion along with the hypothalamus and hormones produced by the ovaries. During the first half of the menstrual cycle, FSH initiates the production of estradiol by the follicle, and the two hormones work together to develop the egg follicle.
Testosterone
Testosterone is an understated but important player in the menstrual cycle as well. Produced in the ovaries, it rises slightly during menstruation and peaks at ovulation with its main purpose being regulation of sex drive. These rises in testosterone may also have you feeling more confident and able to communicate well.
The Details
So now you know the phases and the hormones of your menstrual cycle, but how they all interact and inform each other is why you’re madly in love with your partner on day 13 and may be planning a murder on day 27. So, let’s break it down.
The Menstrual Phase
We’ll start in the most familiar phase of your menstrual cycle- the menstrual phase. The menstrual phase goes by many names- your period, aunt flo, the crimson wave (not to be confused with Tide, RTR), shark week, time of the month, code red, and quite a few others. I hope that soon, you can shed some of the more negative connotations as you learn the ins and outs of this magical week (or so). In this phase, progesterone and estrogen come to their lowest points throughout the cycle, triggering the shed of your uterine lining- a hallelujah for those TTA (trying to avoid). With this shedding comes a bleed that lasts roughly 4-7 days and signals the start of a new menstrual cycle. Day 1 of your bleed=day 1 of your menstrual cycle.
The Follicular Phase
Next on the menstrual cycle docket is the follicular phase. In most medical literature, the follicular phase is inclusive of your period but for my purposes I like to separate the two so that you can capitalize on some subtleties each phase has to offer (more on this later) even though your brain and ovaries are in pretty similar places during both phases. The follicular phase lasts from the last day of your bleed all the way up until ovulation. This phase usually lasts for 7-10 days and is characterized by a rise in estrogen leading up to ovulation which has some major benefits in regard to energy, physical endurance, and social capacity.
The Ovulation Phase
The star is up next, the whole reason you have a period in the first place, ovulation. The ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle is more of an event than a phase but the days leading up are significant so we treat it as a phase. Most traditional literature would say that you ovulate on day 14 of your cycle but this is false false false unless you have a perfectly regular 28-day cycle. You will always ovulate 14 days BEFORE your period but not necessarily on day 14 of your cycle. Before ovulation, LH and FSH reach a peak with estrogen and the most significant rise of testosterone throughout your cycle. This stimulates the release of an egg from the ovary, making you fertile to create life (WOOOOOO!!!!! Or AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!). We’ll talk more about fertility later but for now, treat ovulation as about 3-5 days where you get to capitalize on high energy, stamina, confidence, and coooonnfffiiiideeennce;)
The Luteal Phase
Last but not least, the luteal phase. This the one we all know and love to ha…..ave a lot of ice cream and cookies. So you just ovulated, and now your body is like ok time to get preg (little does she know you’re responsible, and won’t be fooled by the mainstream media and thinking around birth control because you actually know your body and made intentional decisions during the only 5 days of your cycle where it’s possible to get pregnant). But nonetheless, a uterine lining is being built up by rising progesterone to hold a fertilized egg and carry out a healthy baby baking. This progesterone makes you a little chiller than normal, you might sleep really well and be more inclined to rest. Now, the issues come with the rise in estrogen post-ovulation, if that estrogen is not in fine balance with progesterone. Estrogen excess can lead to PMS symptoms. But not for long because you’re in THE CLUB!!!!
Sync With Your Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle is intricate, and confusing at first, but the more you learn and listen to your body, the more intuitive it becomes. Start tracking first- use an app like apple health or download my tracking template here. Everything begins with awareness. Give yourself the gift of learning your body and before you know it, it’ll feel like a superpower.
CITATIONS:
Draper, C.F., Duisters, K., Weger, B. et al. Menstrual cycle rhythmicity: metabolic patterns in healthy women. Sci Rep 8, 14568 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-32647-0
Reed BG, Carr BR. The Normal Menstrual Cycle and the Control of Ovulation. [Updated 2018 Aug 5]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279054/
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