How to Organise Your Life Around Your Period
Work with your body and plan your month around your menstrual cycle.
LAST UPDATED: 20/04/2021
Photo by Karolina Grabowska from PexelsOrganising, seasonal living and wellness are three of my favourite things. So when I first heard our monthly menstrual cycle compared to the seasons, I was very excited. My immediate thought was that I need to learn more and start organising my life around these seasons of my cycle. After all, anything we can do to work with our bodies should help us live a more natural life.
So I have done my research and would like to share my findings with you. Firstly, an explanation of the monthly menstrual cycle and the seasons.
Women get their period every 28 days on average. During this 28 day cycle, our hormones fluctuate, creating changes to our energy levels and mood. Some stages do last a little longer than others. But for ease and balance, it can be viewed as four week-long seasons. Week one is winter, week two is spring, week three is summer and week four is autumn.
Week 1: winter (days 1-7)
What is happening
The cycle starts on the first day of your period, so it is easy to remember. Then, most women bleed for up to a week, during which time our estrogen and progesterone are low.
How you feel
Lethargic
You are bound to feel lower in energy, less productive and less able to focus.
Low
Mood-wise, you might feel a bit low, introspective and less chatty.
In physical pain
As well as your emotions changing, you have period pain to contend with and other symptoms such as headaches – joy!
Diet/ supplements
You may notice a craving for warming and replenishing foods at this time, such as soups and stews. It is also a good idea to replace some of the nutrients lost during menstruation.
Iron
You are losing blood, so your iron levels might be a bit lower than usual. Foods high in iron like meat, beans, leafy greens and nuts and seeds will likely help, or you could consider taking an iron supplement to help boost your energy.
Healthy fats
It is a good time for increasing your omega 3 by eating oily fish or nuts and seeds.
Vitamins and healthy proteins
A diet high in vitamins B12 and vitamin C will help. Think peppers, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and healthy proteins such as fish, chicken, legumes, yoghurt and eggs.
High-fibre carbs
Keeping the skin on your veg and potatoes and increasing your intake of rice, quinoa and lentils will help boost your energy.
Exercise
You might not feel like exercising, but try to do something, else it may be hard to get back into it the following week.
Low-impact cardio
Walking, cycling, rowing, or swimming are good ideas this week.
Gentle strengthening exercises
Pilates should feel doable, or other exercises that use your body weight as resistance like squats, lunges, sit-ups, dips, push-ups and planking.
Slow-paced yoga
Yin yoga or a simple hatha yoga should be gentle enough to do help calm the mind.
Work
You might be feeling less productive or a bit tired, so scheduling simple activities will be a better use of your time.
Easy tasks and organisation
Choose methodic tasks that require less thought or concentration, or use your time to plan for the month ahead.
Free time
Limit social engagements
You might feel less chatty or lower in mood, making alone time appealing.
Rest and reflect
Get more sleep and spend time doing activities such as watching a film, reading, journaling, meditating, decluttering and organising your home.
Week 2: spring (days 8-14)
What is happening
It is your pre-ovulation week, during which your estrogen and testosterone levels begin to increase.
How you feel
Happy
You will likely feel more positive and upbeat, easily excitable and perhaps even a bit scatty or impulsive at times.
Energetic
You will have more energy and enthusiasm and will be more sociable.
Driven
As well as finding it easier to concentrate, you might also be feeling bolder and braver.
Diet/ supplements
You might notice you need a little less food than before and can keep things light.
Vegetables and fibre
You could consider getting most of your carbohydrates from vegetables at this time, with some whole grains and legumes to top it up. And get your sugar from your fruit high in antioxidants like berries.
Protein
Add some healthy protein to your vegetables like beans, peas, lentils, eggs, yoghurt, fish, or poultry.
Fermented foods
It is a good time for fermented foods such as kefir, yoghurt, tempeh, and fermented vegetables.
Exercise
You should be more motivated to exercise this week and have more energy to step up your routine.
High-impact cardio
Aerobics, running, HIIT and dancing are all choices.
Flow yoga
Try a fast-paced ashtanga or vinyasa for your flex choice.
Weights
You could add weights to your strengthening routine or use machines if you have a gym membership. You should also have the energy to try some HIIT strength training.
Work
New projects
You are more motivated, inspired and enthusiastic, making new tasks and projects less daunting.
Tough tasks
Your drive to succeed will be higher, as will your ability to concentrate, so take on your most challenging work.
Free time
Use your increased mood and energy to your advantage.
Socialise
You will have more energy and will feel happier and naturally more outgoing, maybe even a bit too talkative at times. It is a fun time to see friends or have office banter.
Watch your impulses
You might be a little over-excited, so resist shopping at this time to avoid impulse buys you might later regret.
Learn a new skill
Wanted to learn how to drive, play an instrument or learn a foreign language? Now is the time to start. And focusing on what you can do will take your mind off of what you can buy.
Week 3: summer (days 15-21)
What is happening
It is ovulation week. Estrogen and testosterone rise to a peak, then as the week goes on, estrogen will start to drop while progesterone begins to rise.
How you feel
You will likely be feeling your best during this summer period.
A desire for pleasure
Much like wanting to bask in the sun in summer, you will be wanting to burn the candle at both ends and seek pleasure and fun from everywhere you can.
Balanced
In the second half of this week, between days 18-21, your hormones reach a perfect balance, making you feel most stable at this time than any other during the month.
Confident and capable
As you are your most attractive this week, people will feel magnetised to you.
Diet/supplements
Again, you might not feel the need to eat much this week, so keep it light. Similar to how you might eat during summer.
Balanced diet
Along with your balanced mood, you should balance your diet with lots of healthy vegetables, fibre, protein and healthy fats.
Magnesium
Ovulation causes a drop in magnesium, so magnesium-rich foods such as seeds, leafy greens, dark chocolate, quinoa and tofu might help.
Exercise
Your routine will be similar to week 2 (spring), but you could mix it up.
A fun/pleasurable cardio
An activity springs to mind which would make use of your increased attractiveness and libido. But dancing the night away with friends is also a fun choice.
Work
Get more from people
Use your magnetic energy to get what you want from difficult meetings, or focus on making new clients this week.
Make tough decisions
Because you are at your most balanced during the second part of the week, you can have confidence in the decisions you might have to make.
Free time
The same things that will benefit your career at this time can also help your personal life.
Meet new people
It is a good time for getting yourself out there, either on the dating scene or trying out new activities where you might expand your social circle.
Communicate and find resolutions
If you have any issues, you will be most able to communicate them clearly to others and get the best out of your relationships.
Make life-changing decisions
Since you are at your most balanced between days 18-21, you should save any important decisions till then.
Week 4: autumn (days 22-28)
What is happening
An imbalance of progesterone and estrogen causes PMS symptoms as your body prepares itself for your next period.
How you feel
Moody
You might feel low, negative or cranky and might notice that more stuff annoys you than usual.
Tired
You will be low in energy and wanting more rest than usual.
In pain
You might experience bloating this week or cramping towards the end of the week.
Diet/supplements
Because you will be lower in mood and energy, you are likely craving sweet foods and carbohydrates.
High-fibre carbs
Don’t skimp on fruits and vegetables with the skin left on, beans, whole grains, rice, quinoa, oats and other carbohydrates. And don’t feel bad about treating yourself to some chocolate if you crave it – dark chocolate especially will be good for your mood and provides a good source of magnesium too.
Healthy fats
Now is the time to start to increase your intake of essential fatty acids through nuts and seeds, avocado and oily fish.
Mood-enhancing supplements
If you feel low this week, you could consider taking St John’s Wort or similar. Just be careful to learn about the side effects of supplements before you take them.
Exercise
You might want an easy week, similar to week 1, but your body is burning more fat than usual, so take advantage of it and make your workout a little challenging.
Weight training and some cardio
Use light weights or exercise machines at a gentle pace and do some low-intensity cardio like walking, swimming or cycling.
Restorative yoga
Again, yin or hatha yoga are good choices to relax your mind and body.
Work
It is a good time to lighten your workload a bit.
Quiet work
You can reflect on the previous month’s activities or do some easier planning or solo tasks which don’t require too much energy.
Detail-orientated tasks
You should also be able to give attention to a particular area rather than looking at the bigger picture.
Free time
Sleep
You should be able to sleep well during this phase of your cycle which is helpful as your need for sleep will be high.
Create
You might feel more creative or detail-orientated, making it a good time for crafting, cooking or engaging in another creative hobby.
Comfort and introspection
Because you might be feeling low or irritable, you should spend more time on quiet relaxing activities such as curling up on the sofa or engaging in a self-care activity
So there you have it. Have any of you heard of this before and do you have any experience of organising your life around your monthly cycle? Leave a comment below.
I absolutely love this post! So much of it rings true to how I feel and what my body needs. So fascinating!
Glad you like it! A friend recently told me she plans her activities around moon phases. I started wondering if/how you could combine the two – might end up a future project of mine 🙂