Cycle Tracking and Cyclical Living

Cycle Tracking and Working with Your Menstrual Cycle

This blog and podcast have been a long time coming. I have mentioned it so many times and I know you have all been keen to hear then I forget. But I always come back to wanting to share this process with you as it is something I have found completely invaluable. 

This process has given me such a deep understanding of myself, built more compassion for self and self love. It has enabled me to speak confidently to my doctor about my perimenopausal symptoms. To enable me to understand my mood and emotions and how these relate to my cycle and also to plan my work and life better so I am showing up best for myself and others. 

I do have to say this is not an overnight process and does take time to build a picture. You will find it so fascinating and powerful once you connect and tune in. 

Brief intro to your menstrual cycle. I will add that should you not have a menstrual cycle you can use the moon cycle and track your moods and emotions in relation to the moon. But so as not to overcomplicate for this particular blog and podcast I will be speaking into cycle tracking in relation to my menstrual cycle. 

As women our cycle begins on day one of our bleed. This is not when you may get a little spotting but the first proper day of bleeding. 

Tracking our cycle can be so helpful when trying for  a baby, contraception, menstrual issues, hormonal imbalances and just getting to know our bodies and connect with them deeply. 

Over the years I know we were never taught these things. Your period and cycle were to be hidden, not spoken about. You weren’t allowed to feel tired one day and energetic the next. We were expecting to be the same and perform the same regardless of our cycle. This is actually impossible. 

Women’s bodies work in a cycle around 28 days (same as the moon). Men’s bodies work in a  cycle of 24 hours. So men can wake each day and feel pretty much the same baseline. Women on the other hand will experience different energies, cognition, physical capacity, moods and emotions throughout the month. 

Our cycle when being explained tend to get spoken about into 4 parts. This is a brief info which you may find helpful but ultimately not hugely necessary if you don't remember initially and I’ll explain why later.  Once I go through this I will also share the simple way I track. 

Source of Chart: https://womeninbalance.org/about-hormone-imbalance/

Menstruation/New Moon: Estrogen and Progesterone are typically at there lowest. This can cause lower mood, poor sleep, fatigue. 

Use this time to: Rest, reflection, Evaluation, pay attention to recurring thoughts and feelings at this time. What’s annoying you. Don’t ignore or try to push away. Pay attention as these thoughts are gold. Rest and recover. Your intuition will be strong so tune in. You may feel less sociable. Take and epsom bath and ease muscles and relax. 

Follicular/Waxing Crescent Moon: Estrogen and Testosterone start to rise again. Your energy will be increasing. More confident, less pain in your body. You will have better cognition and memory during this hormonal rise. Some people can feel a little anxious at this time due to the rise in estrogen. 

Use this time for: planning, getting ideas together. Channel that cognition and use it to your advantage. Start something new. Use the insight you gained from your menstrual time. 

Ovulation/Full Moon: Progesterone rises and estrogen and testosterone drop for the first part of this week. So you can feel a little like PMS. But then they will begin to rise again in the second half of this week. This is the time you may get pregnant. This is when you may feel sociable, confident, 

Use this time for: connecting to others, networking,  being sociable. 

Luteal/waning Crescent: This is typically week 4 and Estrogen drops which can lead to PMS symptoms, sore breasts, anxiety, lower mood etc. Energy will start to drop. You may be a little more moody, have a negative bias, and be prone to lower mood. 

Use this time: focus on getting projects finished, get that final bits done. This is not the time for delivering that presentation or starting something new or making any big decisions.  Slow down, focus. 

I would add some people have more energy at new moon and less at full this is why personal cycle tracking and getting to know you is key .

Decision making: For me my cycle support my decision making. Now in peri menopause I try to wait a full cycle before I decide on anything. As in my ovulation phase when I feel energised I will probably say hell yeah to most things. However come luteal and menstruation I will be questioning myself why I agreed to that. 

Okay so lets get to how I track. 

Grab a year to view or few months to view diary.  You only need a tiny space to write and log the day of your cycle. I highly recommend doing this on paper as it will be easier to notice any themes. There are loads of apps you can use and I will recommend some below. But To really get to know yourself get a paper diary, planners and use the annual planner section or print off something of the web.

Support Tools: 

Some of these links are affiliate links and I may get a small fee for sharing. 

Do Less, Kate Northrup: A Revolutionary Approach to Time and Energy Management for Ambitious Women. : https://amzn.to/3QAxRzz 

Epsom Salts I use for Bathing:https://amzn.to/4dzpuOT 

Sassy Planner: Who I buy my diaries from every year: https://www.sassyplanner.com/ I use the front pages for my cycle tracking. 

Sign up to my email list here so I can let you know when my planner is available, scroll to bottom and sign up: https://www.spiritandsoul.me/ 

Be Free Podcast with Michelle Walsh previous podcast episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/533KTB82lOGhnqoJoDVrdc?si=594ed2746466440c The Pillars of Female Health and Working with Our Cycles. 

Previous Be Free Podcast Episode with Michele Walsh on Cycle Syncing:  Walsh: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5QFATQq09t2cxyd8ef40ZV?si=776dc557e8064fcb 

Apps:

Fit Bit App: Perfect for logging cycle and checking cycle dates. 

Balance App: Highly recommended for perimenopause and menopause. Dr Louise Newson. Has section for tracking monthly symptoms. https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/ 

Lively: Fun app for suggestions how to work with cycle from a food, exercise and mindset point of view. Explore Lively! This app guides you daily, offering personalized insights into nutrition, activity, and self-care. Embrace your cycle's flow, and bring out the best in you! https://livelycycle.com/