How to Work with your Menstrual Cycle
Introduction
Take a moment to remember what your menstrual cycle actually is. Not just your period, not just bleeding, not just “that time of the month”. It is a full-body, brain-led rhythm that can shape how you feel, think, and function day to day.
When you know what is happening inside your body, it gets easier to care for yourself with more respect and a lot less self-blame.
Your menstrual cycle involves a chain of activity across the brain, ovaries and uterus. It typically moves through four phases: menstruation, follicular, ovulation, and luteal. Day one is the first day of your period, and the cycle ends the day before your next period starts.
Debunking the ‘typical’ menstrual cycle myth
We hear it all the time: the “typical” cycle is 28 days. But only a small proportion of people actually have a 28-day cycle, so if yours is shorter, longer, or changes month to month, you are not broken. You are normal.
Cycle length varies from person to person and it can shift across your life. Stress, medication, travel, illness, changes in weight, and sleep disruption can all affect it. Conditions like endometriosis or PCOS can too.
Let’s walk through the phases and what you might need in each one.
Phase 1: Menstruation (Winter)
This phase begins on day one of bleeding and lasts until your period ends. For many people this is around 3 to 8 days, but it can be different for everyone.
Hormones are at their lowest here, which can mean lower energy, less motivation, and slower cognitive pace. If you feel like you are wading through treacle, there is a biological reason.
What can help:
Rest when you need to. You do not have to power through.
Keep plans and to-do lists lighter if you can.
Prioritise sleep and recovery.
Move gently if it feels good. Think walking, yoga, stretching, or a relaxed swim.
Practice self-care in the real sense. Eat, hydrate, pause, and be kind to yourself.
Phase 2: Follicular (Spring)
The follicular phase starts on day one too, which means it overlaps with menstruation at the beginning. After bleeding, oestrogen begins to rise and energy often starts to come back online. Many people notice clearer thinking, more drive, and a lift in mood as this phase progresses.
This phase can be the longest and the length varies widely.
What can help:
Use your growing energy to build momentum.
Start new projects or tackle tasks that need focus and creativity.
Move your body in a way that feels energising.
Plan ahead if you can. This is often a good phase for organising life and work.
Phase 3: Ovulation (Summer)
Ovulation happens mid-cycle when an egg is released. Ovulation itself is short, but the hormonal build-up around it can affect how you feel.
For some people, higher oestrogen and testosterone can bring a lift in confidence, sociability, motivation, and energy. You might feel sharper, more driven, and more up for being seen.
And for others, ovulation can feel like the opposite. If you live with PMDD, ADHD, anxiety, or a more sensitive nervous system, this phase can be surprisingly tricky. Some people report feeling frenetic, overstimulated, anxious, impulsive, or like their brain is running too fast. If that is you, it does not mean you are “doing it wrong”. It is your body responding to a real hormonal shift.
What can help:
Make social plans if you feel more outgoing, but keep an escape route if you need one.
Use the confidence boost for meetings, presentations, or visibility tasks if it feels supportive.
Move your body in a way that helps regulate your nervous system. For some that is HIIT or strength. For others it is walking, yoga, or something steady and grounding.
Channel the extra energy into one or two priority tasks, rather than trying to do everything at once.
If you feel wired or impulsive, reduce stimulation where you can. Think fewer tabs open, fewer plans back to back, more pauses.
Phase 4: The Luteal Phase (Autumn)
During the luteal phase, progesterone rises to prepare the body for the possibility of pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, oestrogen and progesterone drop toward the end of the phase, and this is when PMS symptoms can ramp up.
For some people, this shift is mild. For others, it can be intense and genuinely disruptive. If you live with PMDD, the luteal phase can bring a sharp change in mood, anxiety, irritability, low mood, overwhelm, and a drop in energy and executive function. It is not “just hormones” in a dismissive way. It is a real, cyclical pattern that deserves proper support.
There is also something else we do not talk about enough. Many of us have been conditioned to stay pleasant, stay productive, and stay quiet about what we feel. So when anger, sadness, frustration, dissatisfaction, or a deep need for space comes up in the luteal phase, we label it as a problem to fix. But emotions are information. They are not random. They often point to boundaries that have been crossed, needs that have been ignored, or truths we have been carrying too long.
There is wisdom here, even when it feels messy. The shadow and the light. You do not have to romanticise it, and you do not have to fear it either. The goal is to listen without judgement, and to support your nervous system with more care, not more pressure.
What can help:
Prioritise self-care and nervous system support. This is not indulgent, it is smart.
Choose simpler, lower-stakes tasks at work where possible.
Build in more breaks and more recovery time.
Go gentler with exercise if your body asks for it. Walking, swimming, Pilates, yoga, mobility work.
Reduce pressure and perfectionism. This is a phase where sustainability matters more than speed.
Name what you are feeling without editing it. “I am irritated” or “I feel tender” can be a powerful start.
If you notice recurring themes each month, treat them like data. What boundary, change, or support might you need?
What Now?
If you’re reading this thinking, “Okay, this makes sense. Now what?” you’re in the right place.
Learning your cycle is not about becoming perfectly optimised. It’s about understanding your patterns, respecting your needs, and building a way of living and working that actually supports you.
If you want to go deeper, check out our upcoming events. We run workshops, talks and trainings that make all of this practical, relatable, and easy to apply in real life. Sign up to our newsletter to hear about what’s coming up.