With a cyclical nature changing four times a month, our feelings, needs, and vibes undergo continuous fluctuations throughout the month. Women were designed for a rhythmic lifestyle. Forget about a one-size-fits-all routine. At ILIK we’re here to encourage women to embrace this natural rhythm to enhance their emotional and mental well-being.

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Menstrual Cycle & Women Mental Well-being

Hormones play the role of a boss, influencing emotions, moods, behaviors, hunger, and sleep. The impact of different hormone levels can be overwhelming, ranging from common symptoms like pain and mood swings to more severe symptoms like symptoms of PMDD or severe depression. With a balanced diet and some Lifestyle changes, you can minimize the emotional symptoms as well as the physical symptoms of those hormonal changes.

Understanding these cycles becomes crucial for every woman to prioritize her well-being. Despite the complexity, understanding your inner natural rhythm is vital. Only then you can truly understand yourself as a woman, fulfill your wildest dreams, and align with your inner self. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your womb – a powerful tool often underestimated.

Menstrual Cycle Hormones

Hormone changes are the reason behind the roller coaster of emotions we go through each month. with each hormone playing a vital role in how we feel in each phase. 

Changes in the levels of estrogen can affect mood, memory, and cognitive function, leading to fluctuations in emotional well-being throughout the menstrual cycle.

Progesterone gives a sense of calm and can lead to feelings of relaxation and decreased anxiety during the luteal phase. Another important hormone Oxytocin, or as some prefer to call it the “love hormone” rises during the ovulation phase, contributing to more social bonding and positive interactions.

The 4 seasons of you!

Remember when you thought a period lasted only a week? Surprise – there’s more to it than that! There are four distinct phases: the menstrual phase, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. Each phase affects us differently. And it’s not just about bleeding; it’s a whole cycle.

Dealing with your cycle as only the bleeding week might be a major reason why you feel burnout, emotionally overwhelmed, and have a general feeling of voidness. If you focus solely on the period week, you’re missing out on three other crucial phases that are just as important as your period week. At ILIK we love to call the cycle phases the 4 seasons. So, we’re here to help you understand The 4 Seasons Of You.

Let’s talk about seasons! So, puberty might have taught you that your cycle lasts about 28 days, but here’s the scoop – there are four seasons that women go through with every monthly cycle. The Menstrual period is the winter, which occurs when the period starts. The Follicular Phase is spring. The Ovulatory Phase is Summer. Lastly, the Luteal Phase when symptoms of PMS might pop up is autumn.

ILIK encourages every woman to get her cycle tracking game on. Whether naturally or with tracking apps like Flo. and keeping a diary of your symptoms and all the emotional changes you go through in each season.

Understanding changes in energy, food cravings, sleep, and other signs your body gives you is essential. The focus is on YOUR body, not an “ideal” body! 

Emotions During The 4 Phases Of Menstrual Cycle

1. Winter (MENSTRUAL PHASE)

During the menstrual phase hormones and energy are at their lowest point. Estrogen levels rise slightly, and progesterone levels decrease. You might experience fatigue, menstrual cramps, and low energy.

But it is also the time you have high intuition which is why it’s the perfect time for reflection. Using this time to reflect on what you’re thinking and feeling can lead to more self-awareness and growth.

• Prioritize rest and take naps
• Get out in nature 
• Watch a movie and read a book
• Shift your focus inwards, meditate, reflect, and journal your thoughts. 
  
  

2. Spring (FOLLICULAR PHASE)

During the follicular phase, which is the period between bleeding and ovulation, hormones start to increase, and energy begins to rise. Estrogen and progesterone levels rise.  You might feel strong, beautiful, social, and energetic. You also experience a sense of new beginnings and high levels of energy, which is why it’s the perfect time to get things done.

• Brainstorm and get creative.
• Schedule meetings and social activities
• Make decisions and think of solutions.
• Set and plan your goals.
  
  

3. Summer (OVULATORY PHASE)

During this phase, testosterone and estrogen levels peak and you experience the highest levels of energy. You might feel confident, happy, and the most energetic.  This is the phase where you might experience an increased sex drive.

• Meet with your friends and plan social gatherings as this is the most social phase of your cycle.
• Plan your date nights as this is the phase of your cycle where you have the most charm and confidence.
• Schedule most important meetings, presentations and public speaking.
  

4. Autumn (LUTEAL PHASE)

Progesterone levels increase during the luteal phase, reaching its peak about a week after ovulation. In the case of no pregnancy, progesterone levels begin to decline gradually. These fluctuations can contribute to PMS symptoms like low mood, intense fatigue, anxiety, and trouble sleeping.

You are more likely to feel introverted and prefer staying home. It’s the time your body is sending you signs to slow down. The luteal phase is also the phase when you might crave sugary foods the most as your metabolism increases. so, allow yourself some sweets during this phase, but don’t forget to add in more fiber and protein.

Typical emotional symptoms often experienced during this phase include sadness, depression, emotional sensitivity, anxiety, stress, and overall low energy.

• Check things off your to-do list and complete your tasks, as you can be more focused, and detail-oriented during this phase
• Lower your caffeine intake by swapping your coffee with matcha and more herbal nourishing teas like red raspberry leaf to reduce stress and anxiety.
• Get enough sleep
• Clean and organize
• Practice meditation, journaling and yoga
  

How To Conquer Changes In Moods During The Menstrual Cycle

Managing your mood swings during the menstrual cycle allows you to take control of your mood and emotional well-being. Living a healthy lifestyle and consuming the right nutrition for each phase can have a huge impact on your mood swings.

For instance, it is advised to get more magnesium and potassium in your diet during the luteal phase/autumn by incorporating more root veggies in your diet, like carrots and sweet potatoes. While Consuming foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and B vitamins can support emotional well-being throughout the cycle.

Self-care is also an important factor that can help us manage our mood swings. Especially during the autumn and winter seasons when we might feel the need for relaxation activities such as meditation, yoga, and spending time in nature. Self-talk is also really crucial, embracing positive self-talk during the various phases of the menstrual cycle can significantly influence our moods, fostering emotional resilience and greater self-compassion.

Another important factor is social interactions, during the autumn and winter you might feel a need to be alone. However, it is important to have a support system. Connecting with people you trust can provide emotional support during these challenging phases of the cycle. Whether it’s trusted friends, family members, or your pet, having a support system that makes you feel safe and provides you with the needed support through these phases can be very beneficial.

Cycle Syncing: Understanding Your Body’s Rhythm

Cycle syncing is aligning different aspects of your daily life, from your physical activity to your diet with the different phases of your menstrual cycle. And a huge part of cycle syncing revolves around understanding that bad moods around autumn and winter seasons are natural. Just take it easy and remember that you will feel energetic and your best self again around spring and summer.  

Understanding your Menstrual Mood Map by tracking your hormonal fluctuations can help you optimize your health and well-being. And instead of suffering from period mood swings you learn how to minimize the mood-related symptoms and how to take advantage of the different strengths you have in each phase. Knowing when your hormones make you the most creative, productive, and motivated, can help you plan your exercise, work, diet, and social life.

It’s important to remember that each woman’s menstrual cycle is different, honoring the uniqueness of each woman’s cycle is essential for promoting inclusivity and understanding. By embracing the varied experiences and emotions across different cycles, we empower ourselves and others to feel validated and supported.

Through shared knowledge and empathy, we create a sense of unity and connection, celebrating the beautiful diversity of cycle experiences.

If cycle syncing is a new concept to you, don’t feel overwhelmed with all this information. You can choose to focus on one aspect for a month and see how it goes. Just ease into it and take it slow. After several months you will notice that the little changes you made to your daily routine helped you adapt your life to the different phases of your cycle.

For the first month, you can choose to start syncing your exercise with your cycle, going with low-intensity workouts during autumn and winter and more cardio and high intensity during spring and summer. When you feel you got the hang of it you can move on to syncing your diet with your cycle. whatever path you choose, be patient and take it easy.

Menstrual cycle productivity and work

Aligning activities with your cycle can enhance productivity, creativity, and overall balance in daily life. Prioritizing your work tasks based on the different phases of your cycle can help you from feeling drained at the end of the day to feeling more accomplished and satisfied.

For example, during the menstrual phase, your energy and productivity are at a low so it’s important to be gentle with yourself and take this time to rest and reflect on the past month, and your goals and intentions. Moreover, you have the most access to your intuition during this phase which is why it’s great to reflect on all aspects of your life.

Whereas the ovulation phase is the time to focus on work that involves communication and social skills. During this time, you are more likely to feel more social and you will also be a good communicator. This is the perfect time to put yourself out there, whether you want to give a speech or a presentation or ask for a raise. It’s also a great time to go to networking events or hold important meetings.

The menstrual cycle sex drive

Having open and honest conversations with your partner about your cycle can enhance understanding and support. It’s also important to recognize that hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle affect intimacy so you will need to adapt to each phase.

During the menstrual phase (winter), you might feel the need to spend time alone and spend less time with your friends or with your partner, so it’s important to listen to your body during this time and communicate that with your loved ones. It’s also very common for sex drive to decrease during this phase so it’s okay to take a few days off. 

Whereas the follicular phase (spring) you might feel a little more adventurous or that you are open to new things relating to sex and intimacy so this would be a great time to try something new.

The ovulation phase (summer) is the time you seem more appealing to the opposite sex, you experience enhanced charm and appeal as pheromones are high. This is the perfect time to go out on a first date as you will feel way more social and confident. It’s also the time when interest in sex and intimacy rises, so have fun, and again don’t forget to communicate the different needs throughout your cycle with your partner.

Similar to the menstrual phase, the luteal phase (autumn) is a time when those premenstrual mood swings begin to show so you will probably feel less social, and your sex drive will begin to decrease. Stay away from social events or meeting new people as this may feel draining. This is the perfect time for cozy and chill activities, instead of going out for a date night this is the perfect time for Netflix and chill, you can order a takeout, watch a movie, and cuddle.

Discussion Time: What’s Your Period Story?

We genuinely want to hear your story. How do you navigate your cycle? Do you have any cool tracking tips or favorite apps? Share them in the comments.

Remember, whatever you’re experiencing – you’re not alone! Discussing periods might seem awkward, but it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. The mood swings and energy shifts are all normal and a part of being a woman. Your menstrual cycle isn’t a source of distress – it’s a part of you, a unique rhythm. Sometimes, life throws it off, but guess what? You can always get it back on track. be kind to yourself, you’ve got this!