THE BASICS OF CYCLE TRACKING
If you are a female of reproductive age, then you are no doubt all too familiar with your monthly period. But how familiar are you with your menstrual cycle? As women, our bodies are always changing, and we are actually at a different point in our cycle every single day. Where we are in our cycle can affect everything from our mood and energy levels to how we look and feel. By beginning to understand what is happening in our bodies each month, we can become more in tune with how we can best nourish and support ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally.
The average menstrual cycle is 28 days, with the length of a healthy cycle ranging anywhere between 21 and 35 days. There are three phases of the menstrual cycle and each phase comes with its own unique set of benefits and challenges. The three phases are the follicular phase (which includes menstruation), ovulation, and the luteal phase. Each phase can be thought of in relation to the timing of the egg release. The follicular phase is before the egg is released, ovulation is when the egg is released, and the luteal phase is after the egg is released. Each cycle works to prepare your body for pregnancy, and if an egg does not become fertilized, then a new cycle begins.
FOLLICULAR PHASE
The follicular phase is the first part of the menstrual cycle. It begins with menstruation and ends with ovulation. At the beginning of the follicular phase, estrogen and progesterone levels are at their lowest point, resulting in menstruation. The top layers of the endometrium (uterine lining) are broken down, shed, and eliminated through the vagina. Menstruation marks the beginning of the menstrual cycle and typically lasts between 2 and 7 days. Bleeding is usually heaviest on the first two days and then tapers off until it stops altogether. It is important to know that women experience their periods very differently and what is normal for one person may not be normal for another. When a woman is menstruating, her energy levels are usually lower and rest should be made a priority, if possible. Menstruation is a form of cleansing. When we cleanse our bodies, rest and lighter forms of exercise like gentle stretching and walking are generally prescribed along with the cleanse. During menstruation, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) elevates slightly, which starts the development of follicles in the ovaries. Every follicle encapsulates an egg. Later in the follicular phase, FSH decreases, causing only one follicle to continue to develop. The follicle begins to produce estrogen, which begins to thicken the uterine lining to prepare for egg implantation. Estrogen levels spike just before ovulation. The average length of the follicular phase is 14 days (in a 28 day cycle), however the length of this phase can range from 10 to 40+ days due to factors including stress levels or illness.
OVULATION
Estrogen levels rise rapidly just before ovulation, and eventually the body will reach an estrogen threshold. There will be an abrupt surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) triggered by high levels of estrogen. The sudden, large increase of LH signals the ovary to release the egg into the fallopian tube, where it can be met by a sperm and fertilized. In the standard 28 day cycle, ovulation occurs on day 14. However ovulation can occur anywhere from day 8 to day 21 (or later) depending on numerous factors including stress levels (excessive stress can cause a delayed ovulation time) or illness. This time of the month is when women generally have the most energy and will want to spend more time socializing and going out. Ovulation is also the time when women tend to feel the most sexual, sensual, and aroused. This makes sense when thinking of evolution because we want to have more energy around the time that we are fertile so we have the energy to socialize, choose a mate, and conceive, and nature puts us in the mood to do so.
LUTEAL PHASE
The luteal phase occurs after ovulation. After the egg is released from the ovary, the follicle that encapsulates the egg collapses and becomes the corpus luteum (literally, “yellow body”), which remains on the ovarian wall. The corpus luteum starts to release progesterone.
Progesterone causes four actions in the body:
It stops the release of all other eggs for the remainder of the cycle
It causes thickening and the sustaining of the uterine lining
It increases appetite
It causes a change in the three primary fertility signs (cervical fluid, waking temperature, and cervical position)
The corpus luteum has a lifespan of about 12 to 16 days, after which it disintegrates if the egg is not fertilized. When the corpus luteum breaks down, progesterone levels drop, ending the luteal phase and triggering the beginning of a new cycle starting with menstruation (the shedding of the endometrium lining) in the follicular phase.
During the luteal phase, you may experience PMS symptoms including constipation, bloating, increased appetite (especially for carbohydrates and sweets), mood swings, fatigue, and sore breasts. Ensuring that you are getting adequate rest and sleep and consuming a nutritionally-dense, well-balanced diet can help in reducing these symptoms.
MENSTRUAL CYCLE TRACKING AND FERTILITY SIGNS
Tracking your cycle is a great tool in aiding your understanding of your body, your overall reproductive health, and how your hormones affect your daily life including sleep, energy, mood, appetite, and libido.
There are numerous ways to track your cycle, so you can choose what feels best for you. You can use a physical calendar, journal or notebook. You can also use a cycle tracking app. Record the first and last days of your period, and record any symptoms you notice throughout the month. You may start to see patterns occurring within your cycle.
To know when you are fertile (ovulation) and when you are not fertile, you can use the fertility awareness method (FAM). This involves tracking your body's three primary fertility signs: cervical fluid, waking temperature, and cervical position. Knowing these three signs can also tell you which phase of your menstrual cycle you are in.
Cervical fluid
Cervical fluid production is increased in the second half of the follicular phase as the result of high estrogen levels. An increase in cervical fluid raises the pH level for an optimal environment for the sperm and to help the sperm take its journey up the fallopian tubes in search of the egg. Directly after menstruation, you will have a fairly dry vagina. Then, cervical fluid will become sticky, then creamy, then eggwhite consistency. There are so many personal variations of cervical fluid, however the general pattern after menstruation goes from dry to sticky to wetter and more slippery as you near ovulation. When your cervical fluid is closer to an eggwhite consistency, you are most fertile. When your cervical fluid is dry, you are not fertile. After ovulation, estrogen plummets, which causes the cervical fluid to become dry.
Waking (basal body) temperature
Your temperature during the follicular phase will typically range from 97.0 to 97.7 degrees Fahrenheit, which is lower than post-ovulatory temperatures. A day or so after ovulation, your temperature will rise to 97.8 degrees Fahrenheit or higher due to an increase in the hormone progesterone, which is heat-inducing (for the purpose of “pro-gestation” to ensure the body is warm enough to nurture an egg that may have been fertilized). You can track your temperature using a chart and by measuring with a thermometer under the tongue each morning.
Cervical position
Have you ever felt how intercourse is uncomfortable one week and blissful the next? This is due to the changes that your cervix (the lowest part of the uterus that extends into the vagina) goes through in a menstrual cycle. Similar to cervical fluid, the position of your cervix changes during your cycle for optimal fertility. The cervix is firm, low, closed, and dry during menstruation in the follicular phase, and after ovulation in the luteal phase. Around ovulation, the cervix becomes soft, high, open, and wet. It rises and opens due to the higher levels of estrogen right before ovulation. The estrogen causes the ligaments that hold the uterus in place to rise. These changes in the cervix create a perfect passageway for the sperm to swim through the cervix into the fallopian tubes around ovulation for optimal conception.
In summary, you will know you are fertile when you notice these things: creamy, egg white consistency, wet cervical fluid and a cervix that is high, soft, wet, and open. In addition, you can chart your temperature each morning and you will notice a rise in temperature a day or so after you ovulate
While it may seem mysterious and a bit overwhelming to understand, tracking your cycle can be a great step toward gaining a deeper understanding of your own body and its cycles. In knowing your own cycle, you can better predict your energy levels and plan your activities accordingly. When your energy is lower you can enjoy rest, restorative yoga, and Netflix, and when your energy is higher you can enjoy going out with friends, going to that intense cardio/weightlifting class, or going on a date. Rather than going against the grain of your own cycle, you can be empowered to dance with your own unique ebbs and flows.