This is how your cycle affects your mood even when you’re not on your period

One of the most common effects of the menstrual cycle is mood swings. However, women can experience many other variations, including the period when menstruation, in fact, is not occurring. Some experience feelings ranging from euphoria to deep sadness, depending on the moment in the cycle they are in, and have their lives significantly affected by it. The pedagogue, researcher and publicist specializing in menstrual cycles Erika Irusta simplified everything on her page with the phrase: “you’re not crazy, you’re just cyclical”.

O awesome.club explains how your cycle works, and how each phase of it can significantly affect your mood, body, appetite, energy, and focus.

The menstrual cycle is characterized by a succession of regular changes that occur in the female reproductive system. This physiological and cyclical process is repeated month after month, and is divided into 4 phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulatory and luteal. Each one affects the organism with different levels of frequency and intensity, depending on the physical and emotional conditions of each woman.

This phase begins on the first day of the period, called “day 1”. When a woman is not pregnant, the lining of the uterus breaks down, causing bleeding. This stage usually lasts between 3 and 7 days, and can be accompanied by moments of discomfort to a lesser or greater degree, depending on each organism. A woman may experience cramps, back and leg pain, bloating, fatigue, and mild nausea. And in the emotional aspect she can also present irritability, sadness, anxiety and lack of concentration.

This phase begins along with the menstrual period, on the first day of the period, but lasts until ovulation. The pituitary gland secretes the so-called Follicle-Stimulating Hormone in the brain, sending information to the ovaries to start producing mature eggs. At that moment, each follicle contains an undeveloped egg, which hormones will take care of making it grow, until, at the end of this phase, an egg is ready to be fertilized. This is a time when women typically experience more positive feelings and feel much more excited and secure.

This is the phase when the estrogen level is at its highest. In a regular 28-day cycle, this happens exactly halfway through, on day 14. Even though ovulation lasts only one day, the mature egg travels through the fallopian tubes to the uterus, where it can meet the sperm to be fertilized. This phase varies according to each organism and each cycle, but normally, during this time, women feel more energy and sexual appetite. Some even realize that they are ovulating, as they have mild cramps or acne.

The mature egg has a lifespan of up to 24 hours. But when ovulation ends, the follicle begins to secrete another hormone: progesterone. It is she who takes care of helping the endometrium to grow to receive the fertilized egg. However, if fertilization does not take place, estrogen and progesterone levels decrease, and the endometrial walls begin to detach, continuing the menstrual cycle. At this stage, 80% of women experience some physical symptoms, such as breast pain, swelling and excessive tiredness, and other emotional ones, such as depression or anxiety. This is the so-called PMS — Premenstrual Tension, and to alleviate it you need to sleep a little more, drink plenty of liquids, take care of your diet and exercise.

Even if the menstrual cycle is part of every woman’s life, for some it can be limiting, yes, thanks to the hormone revolution that occurs in the body during each phase. In this sense, Irusta encourages each woman to keep her own diary in which she notes these physical and emotional ups and downs, creating a record that allows her to better understand her menstrual cycle.

According to the Stanford Children’s Health website, the length of the menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman. Both shorter cycles, lasting 23 days, and longer ones, lasting 35 days, can be considered perfectly normal. However, if the cycle is outside this time frame or you have persistent symptoms such as extremely heavy bleeding, severe pain, fainting or vomiting, it is advisable to visit a gynecologist.

Can you see how the menstrual cycle affects your mood, in addition to bleeding days? Have you ever had to cancel your plans because of this? Share your experiences with us in the comments section!