Ovulation is a mystery to lots of my peers. I remember once I had a friend ask me, 'WHY AM I SO HORNY RIGHT NOW?' I was like, 'what day are you on of your cycle? You're probably ovulating.' She checked her period tracker app, and sure enough she was ovulating. She thought I was some kind of period wizard for knowing that. I mean, I am a period wizard... but I digress.
When people hear the term 'menstrual CYCLE,' they often just think of the menstrual period. But the cycle is so much more than that. So let's get into it. Note: this cycle structure really only applies to people who aren't using hormonal birth control. If you're on hormonal birth control, you don't ovulate. Another note: this is based on the 28 day cycle, which is the most common, but I know I don't have a 28 day cycle and neither do a lot of other folks. Adjust as needed.
So, here's how your cycle works. It's comprised of 4 stages: menstrual, follicular (those overlap,) ovulation and luteal. I'm going to talk about the biological processes that happen in the body, as well as some of the more holistic/spiritual aspects of these phases.
The menstrual phase is usually from day 1 to 5, 6, 7, or however long your period usually lasts. This is, of course, the part of your cycle where you get your period. This is what happens when your uterus finds out you're not pregnant, so it sheds all of the lining that it had created to make the womb comfy for a potential baby. During this phase, it's important to be gentle with yourself. Feed your body nourishing food, rest, practice gentle movement, and take measures to relieve period discomfort. For me, this means heating pads, baths, stretching and avoiding inflammatory foods.
Next up is the follicular phase, usually from day 1 to 13. This phase also begins on the first day of menstruation, but it lasts till the 13th day of the menstrual cycle. The pituitary gland releases Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), which stimulates the follicles in one of your ovaries to mature. You feel lighter and less weighed down during this phase. During this phase, estrogen drives your desire for connection and you feel social this week. Your mood and brain function get boosted. Your energy is rising and your confidence increases. Testosterone may make you feel more impulsive and you have a higher pain threshold. During this phase, you should initiate new projects and be assertive. Go after your dreams. Problem solve, take more risks, and try new things. Move your body: Go for challenging and energetic physical activities that you enjoy.
Next up is the ovulation phase, which happens from day 14-day 15. It's a quick one. During ovulation, you're at your most fertile. Estrogen peaks. Many people feel energetic and in good spirits around ovulation, while others can feel irritable or have some cramping during this phase that feels similar to menstrual cramps, but they don't last quite as long. Generally libido rises and cervical fluid increases, this is a sign of peak fertility and usually happens on the day you ovulate or 1-2 days before. If you are feeling great, use this time to exercise, get work done, and socialize. If you are feeling irritable or low energy, then take it easy and give yourself a break for a few days until the peak in hormones settles down.
Finally, we reach the luteal phase. This one goes on from day 15 to 28. Instead of estrogen, progesterone is said to dominate the luteal phase. Some PMS symptoms, however, may be caused by excess estrogen during the this phase. It's common for energy levels and libido to be lower during this phase, especially in the week prior to bleeding. It's also common for mood to change, sometimes drastically, during the luteal phase. Irritability and weepiness are especially common, along with breast tenderness, changes to digestion, muscle tension, and possibly changes to temperature regulation, causes a warm sensation in the body. So basically, the luteal phase is PMS. Fuuun. Even though energy levels are lower during the luteal phase, exercise can still be beneficial as it helps to release endorphins and supports the liver to clear out excess hormones from the system. Even though libido is low, having sex or masturbating may also be helpful for improving mood tension in the body.
So there it is! Your cycle in a nutshell. This ended up being less of a nutshell and more of a coconut shell, because there's really so much to cover. Maybe in the future I'll do separate posts on each phase... Hmmm.
When people hear the term 'menstrual CYCLE,' they often just think of the menstrual period. But the cycle is so much more than that. So let's get into it. Note: this cycle structure really only applies to people who aren't using hormonal birth control. If you're on hormonal birth control, you don't ovulate. Another note: this is based on the 28 day cycle, which is the most common, but I know I don't have a 28 day cycle and neither do a lot of other folks. Adjust as needed.
So, here's how your cycle works. It's comprised of 4 stages: menstrual, follicular (those overlap,) ovulation and luteal. I'm going to talk about the biological processes that happen in the body, as well as some of the more holistic/spiritual aspects of these phases.
The menstrual phase is usually from day 1 to 5, 6, 7, or however long your period usually lasts. This is, of course, the part of your cycle where you get your period. This is what happens when your uterus finds out you're not pregnant, so it sheds all of the lining that it had created to make the womb comfy for a potential baby. During this phase, it's important to be gentle with yourself. Feed your body nourishing food, rest, practice gentle movement, and take measures to relieve period discomfort. For me, this means heating pads, baths, stretching and avoiding inflammatory foods.
Next up is the follicular phase, usually from day 1 to 13. This phase also begins on the first day of menstruation, but it lasts till the 13th day of the menstrual cycle. The pituitary gland releases Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), which stimulates the follicles in one of your ovaries to mature. You feel lighter and less weighed down during this phase. During this phase, estrogen drives your desire for connection and you feel social this week. Your mood and brain function get boosted. Your energy is rising and your confidence increases. Testosterone may make you feel more impulsive and you have a higher pain threshold. During this phase, you should initiate new projects and be assertive. Go after your dreams. Problem solve, take more risks, and try new things. Move your body: Go for challenging and energetic physical activities that you enjoy.
Next up is the ovulation phase, which happens from day 14-day 15. It's a quick one. During ovulation, you're at your most fertile. Estrogen peaks. Many people feel energetic and in good spirits around ovulation, while others can feel irritable or have some cramping during this phase that feels similar to menstrual cramps, but they don't last quite as long. Generally libido rises and cervical fluid increases, this is a sign of peak fertility and usually happens on the day you ovulate or 1-2 days before. If you are feeling great, use this time to exercise, get work done, and socialize. If you are feeling irritable or low energy, then take it easy and give yourself a break for a few days until the peak in hormones settles down.
Finally, we reach the luteal phase. This one goes on from day 15 to 28. Instead of estrogen, progesterone is said to dominate the luteal phase. Some PMS symptoms, however, may be caused by excess estrogen during the this phase. It's common for energy levels and libido to be lower during this phase, especially in the week prior to bleeding. It's also common for mood to change, sometimes drastically, during the luteal phase. Irritability and weepiness are especially common, along with breast tenderness, changes to digestion, muscle tension, and possibly changes to temperature regulation, causes a warm sensation in the body. So basically, the luteal phase is PMS. Fuuun. Even though energy levels are lower during the luteal phase, exercise can still be beneficial as it helps to release endorphins and supports the liver to clear out excess hormones from the system. Even though libido is low, having sex or masturbating may also be helpful for improving mood tension in the body.
So there it is! Your cycle in a nutshell. This ended up being less of a nutshell and more of a coconut shell, because there's really so much to cover. Maybe in the future I'll do separate posts on each phase... Hmmm.
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