Hack your menstrual cycle to increase productivity
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I was listening to an interesting physiotherapy webinar about treating female runners and they discussed the impact of the menstrual cycle on performance. They explained ideas such as: during puberty women have to re-learn their motor skills due to the physical changes in their body and that it’s better to do strength training in the follicular phase of your cycle for the best health benefits. So this blew my mind! If it can have an effect on sporting performance, what other effects does it have on our day-to-day lives? So I decided to find out…
The biology bit...
First of all, let’s look at the phases in the menstrual cycle so were all singing from the same hymn sheet. The menstrual cycle is the whole monthly duration from the day you start your period to the day you start your next period; on average this is around 28 days but this differs for everyone. It consists of four main phases: menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation and the luteal phase.
Menstruation is quite obviously, the time you get your monthly visit from aunt flow. It usually last 5-6 days and is the bane of most women’s life. The news that ‘tampon tax’ is due to be scrapped from January 2021 somewhat helps, I prefer to keep things organic. Try using this menstrual cup which is reusable and friendly for the environment. #axthepinktax
The follicular phase is from the first day of your period to ovulation. During this time the uterus builds up, preparing to release an egg during ovulation. The luteal phase is from ovulation to the start of your next period. This is when your body secretes chemicals which will either support a pregnancy or break down the lining of the uterus if conception doesn’t occur.
Here’s a little diagram from Clue to show these phases:
The hormones...
Okay so now we’ve covered the biology and names for each phase. Let’s take a look at how hormones play a part in our lives.
I’m sure we’re all familiar with the joys of PMS. Women experience it in varying degrees which can change throughout the different chapters of our lives. Some of the symptoms include: bloating, sore boobs, embarrassing random emotional outbursts, mood swings that rival Jekyll and Hyde, cramping and social withdrawal. All of this is thanks to our little pals…hormones.
I once went shopping and had an armful of items. I thought ‘this is crazy! I’ll put things back that I don’t need and just buy the essentials’. I rocked up at the checkout with a bottle of wine, bar of chocolate and a box of tampons. The female cashier laughed and said ‘I feel ya!’. Every woman understands the effects of hormones.
The two main hormones I’m going to focus on during our menstrual cycle are oestrogen and progesterone. These are steroid hormones which are mainly responsible for regulating our periods. As you can see in the diagram showing the menstrual cycle, our hormones fluctuate throughout the month. Here’s what happens when these hormones are at their highest and lowest.
Oestrogen:
Oestrogen is what I like to call the sassy hormone. It helps to increase our ‘feel-good’ chemicals in the brain aka. endorphins. This hormone is responsible for our sexual characteristics and is highest during ovulation. It’s probably the main reason you blast out your female empowerment playlist and sing like Shania twain “Man, I feel like a woman”!
If we let this sassy hormone get out of control and our levels become too high, it can lead to:
Menstrual problems, such as light or heavy bleeding
Worsening of premenstrual syndrome
Fatigue
Feeling depressed or anxious
Equally, low levels of oestrogen can lead to:
Menstrual periods that are less frequent or that stop
Hot flushes and/or night sweats
Trouble sleeping
Dryness and thinning of the vagina
Low sex drive
Mood swings
Dry skin
Progesterone:
Progesterone works to counteract oestrogen and gives us a sense of feeling calm and in control. This is the sensible, nurturing mother figure in all of us. Its main role is to control the lining of the uterus and create the perfect environment to receive a healthy, fertilised egg. Cortisol, a hormone which is present when we’re stressed, can throw the balance off and reduce our progesterone levels. This can often be why women that are stressed, with no other health issues, have difficulty getting pregnant.
Symptoms of the extremes of high and low progesterone are very similar. They are:
Low sex drive
Anxiety and depression
Mood swings
Sudden weight gain
Fatigue and muscle weakness
Migraines
Hot flushes
Using an app like clue or moody month can really help you to figure out how long your cycle is, when you’re moving into the next phase and when to stock up on Ben and Jerry’s.
The hack...
The most important part of understanding this whole process is knowing the interaction and physical effects of hormones during these phases…AND THIS IS WHEN I CAME ACROSS MENSTRUAL SCHEDULING. For someone who likes to have life neatly organised, this was music to my ears!!!
Miranda Grey (Author of The optimised woman: using the menstrual cycle to achieve success and fulfilment) stated that ‘Any woman can do any task, at any time of the month, and do it well. But if a woman does a task during the optimal days in her cycle, she can excel’.
‘Any woman can do any task, at any time of the month, and do it well. But if a woman does a task during the optimal days in her cycle, she can excel’.
Here’s a breakdown of exactly what goes on and how we can use this to our advantage:
The period.
During this time both oestrogen and progesterone are both low.
You excel in: Reflection. During this Time you are able to weigh up situations and see the bigger picture. You are intuitive and trust your inner-knowing. It easier to forgive yourself and others and simply accept and let things go. You are at peace with yourself and often feel a sense of relief.
This time is slow and steady with low physical energy and poorer memory. It’s a time to re-set, process your emotions, consider life goals and ensure you are in soul alignment. It’s a great time to make big decisions which require deep thinking, to change your direction; maybe in terms of a career or relationship– and to commit to something new.
How to feel your best:
Wellbeing - This is a time to practice good self-care. Eating healthy foods and getting lots of sleep is key. Listen to what your body needs and honour it. You may find that you need lots of naps - that’s okay. Treat yourself with things that make you feel good like taking a bath, reading a book, watching your favourite girly chic flic that you know will reduce you to tears despite it being the 100th time you’ve seen it (it’s all part of emotional cleansing). Reflective practices such as positive visualisation and journaling with lots of introspective questioning is great at this time.
Work - Now is a time to reflect on last months progress and consider your direction for the upcoming month. Consider what went well and what needs improvement during this time.
Diet - This is a good time to eat foods high in iron as our level drop due to bleeding - these include food sources such as; green veg, lentils and seeds.
Exercise - Slow, relaxed yoga flows, swimming, meditation and mindfulness help you to feel centred and grounded.
Follicular phase:
During this phase your oestrogen levels steeply rise and progesterone stays constant.
You excel in: Taking action. During this phase you have high self-belief and feel optimistic. Your memory improves along with your logical, quick-thinking and decision making. You take more calculated risks as your energy levels rise. You’re feeling great, invincible even. You are outgoing and a real social butterfly…biologically your body is preparing you to look for a mate so you’re bringing your A game!
How to feel your best:
Wellbeing - Let’s get organised and declutter. Grab your lifestyle planner and plan you weekly meals, exercise and rewards to form healthy habits. Make a list of everything you need to do in your bullet journal, focusing on tasks such as budgeting, holiday planning and decluttering your house.
Work - This is a great time for planning, organising and starting something new. Writing a CV, researching, starting a new diet or fitness regime - all great things for this phase. If you’re looking to take a risk which requires a little more courage and self-belief, such as asking for a pay raise or pitching a new idea, this is the best time to go for it. Also, big meetings, networking events and client dinners should all be planned for this phase when you’re feeling your most confident self.
Diet - This is a great time to incorporate probiotic rich foods such as yoghurt and kombucha, omega 3 fats found in oily fish and nuts and a range of coloured veg to support liver detoxing. It’s important to avoid coffee or any other caffeinated products during this time as some women report trouble falling asleep due to all of this extra energy. This can lead to fatigue or grogginess in the early mornings, so it’s best to schedule these big meetings in the afternoon once you’ve woken up properly.
Exercise - Research has shown that lifting weights during this period results in a higher increase in muscle strength compared to other times of the month. This period is also related to increased risk of injury, particularly tendon and ligaments so ensure effective warm-ups and don’t over do it!
OVULATION:
During this phase your oestrogen is at an all time high and your progesterone is slowly starting to creep up.
You excel in: Empathy. Communication and collaboration skills at this point are at their highest for the month. Your ability to understanding people’s emotions and needs is increased and you have a natural ability to help and nurture others. You may also feel a pull to do good deeds or be involved in charity events.
How to feel your best:
Wellbeing - Focus on communication and re-kindling relationships during this phase. It’s a great time for a deep and meaningful conversation with loved ones. You will feel magnetic, sexual and emotionally strong. Your sex drive is at an all time high but be careful, you are also your most fertile!
Work - This is the time you are a natural team player. You will easily create and nurture rapport and inter-personal relationships by bringing people together in mediation and conflict resolution. You will empathise with the needs of your colleagues and clients. This is a great time to have important or difficult conversations as, emotionally, you are at your strongest.
Diet - Colourful veg, vitamin B whole grains (such as brown rice) and smoothies are a great way to support your additional energy production. during this phase
Exercise - HIIT classes, weight training and other forms of high intensity work are a great form of exercise at this time due to the higher energy levels. Why not even go for a PB?
The luteal phase:
In this phase your hormones drop significantly, rise again and then tail off if an egg isn’t received.
You excel in: Creativity. You are winding down towards your menstrual cycle but you will experience peaks of creativity and inspiration. If we do tasks when we have the energy and rest when we don’t, this phase can be really productive. Your thoughts may be quite spontaneous with ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking and ‘lightbulb ideas’. Feed into this by giving yourself projects and write down your flashes of inspiration in your journal as they occur. It’s always good to keep a notepad by your bed for this, just in case. You can find a page for this in the my printable workbook to change your life.
How to feel your best:
Wellbeing - Your progesterone levels are rising which means you feel really calm and it’s when you sleep your deepest. You’re winding back down for your restorative phase so logic and critical thinking gives way to creativity. Let this lead you and express yourself in new ways. It’s a great time to review the to-do list and tie up any new ends but during this time you prefer spontaneity.
Work - In this phase you prefer to be more of a lone wold so you can concentrate on getting tasks finished. You may find yourself decluttering, clearing things out and tidying your workspace. Avoid booking in team meetings, especially towards the end of this phase as that’s when the dreaded PMS kicks in.
Diet - This is the phase that you will tend to get your cravings for sugar and comfort foods. This is because the drop in oestrogen also triggers a drop in serotonin (the happiness hormone) and carbohydrates help to replenish it, so naturally, your body wants more of them.
Exercise - During this phase, we’re winding down for the menstrual phase to begin. In the first week of the luteal phase, cardiovascular exercise is suggested as you can burn up to 30% more body fat during aerobic exercise whilst your levels of oestrogen and progesterone are both high. Skipping is a fantastic way to do this. As our energy and stamina decrease over the next week, the best exercise to do is pilates (I highly recommend Harriet’s free online sessions!).
Top tips...
Here are some top tips for hacking productivity throughout the menstrual cycle:
Don’t make any large decisions during the PMS stage - Our hormones are erratic during this stage and means that we can be pretty impulsive to achieve instant gratification. Our willpower is also much lower so we’ll cave much sooner when bombarded with questions about the full spec of the potential new car we’re looking at…wait until a few days into menstruation.
Don’t go food shopping in the peak of your luteal phase - progesterone has been found to dampen the appetite-suppressing effects of oestrogen which leaves us feeling hungrier .
Go to the dentist during your follicular/ovulation phase - high oestrogen increases our pain threshold which mens that painful activities such as going to the dentist will hurt less during this week.
Try not to plan stressful events at the end of the luteal phase or around the time of your period - this is when you can start to feel more irritable and your tolerance decreases. You become more introverted during this phase and communication often dips.
Get some early nights in 10 days before your period - PMS can start up to 10 days before your period and will often require more rest. The large fluctuation in hormones during this phase, quite literally represents the ups and downs of as rollercoaster ride. Respect and honour what your body needs.
Adjust the type or intensity of your workout depending on your phase - lower intensity and slower flow such as yoga and pilates in the menstruation and luteal phases. High intensity and weight training in the follicular and ovulation phases.
Avoid food packaging and plastic container storage - They contain chemicals known as xenohormones which can mimic hormones, bind to hormone receptor sites and throw out our hormone balance. The most harmful one is known as BPA which is commonly found in water bottles, food packaging, plastic food wrap as well as food storage plastic containers. To avoid this you can use BPA free water bottles, store food in BPA free containers, use beeswax wraps instead of cling film and avoid re-heating your food in plastic containers.
Eat whole foods, healthy fats and the right carbs - Life is all about balance, not restriction. Fad diets can trash your metabolism and actually encourage weight gain. Eating a balanced diet is the best option, I follow the 80:20 rule to allow for the occasional treat. Healthy fats include: extra virgin olive oil, avocados seeds, nuts and oily fish.
Stress management - with all of the articles I’ve read, one topic came to the forefront…STRESS MANAGEMENT. Stress triggers an increase in cortisol is like the troublemaker in the hormone world and it causes an imbalance in our natural cycle. Try apps such as calm, headspace and insight timer for daily meditation.
Hormone induced anxiety is a real thing - A quick rise in oestrogen can cause a spike anxiety which may happen around the time of ovulation. Try meditation, mindfulness, yoga and chamomile tea to reduce this flare and know that balance will be restored in a few days.
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandramysoor/2018/05/10/how-women-can-use-monthly-periods-as-a-productivity-tool/#6acb20031637
https://moodymonth.com/
https://www.gatherforwomen.com/blog/the-4-phases-of-your-menstrual-cycle-explained
https://helloclue.com/articles/hormones-and-your-cycle
https://www.thepracticalbalance.com/blog/2019/4/8/productivity-and-periods-how-to-use-your-monthly-cycle-to-get-more-done
https://helloclue.com/articles/cycle-a-z/the-menstrual-cycle-more-than-just-the-period
Thank you for reading!
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