The Four Phases of Your Menstrual Cycle: A Guide to Living in Sync with Your Hormones & Body

22 July

We often grow up knowing very little about our menstrual cycle beyond the fact that we bleed once a month. But your cycle is so much more than your period. It’s a powerful, cyclical rhythm that influences your energy, mood, focus, and body on a deep level.

Understanding the four phases of your menstrual cycle allows you to stop fighting your biology and start working with it. It helps you align your movement, nutrition, rest, and mindset with what your body actually needs — not what the world expects of you every single day.

If you’ve ever felt like some days you’re on fire and others you’re foggy, unmotivated, or just want to be left alone — you’re not broken. You’re just cyclical.

Let’s break it down.

We’re Not Just Circadian — We’re Infradian Too

In wellness and productivity spaces, we often hear about the circadian rhythm — our 24-hour body clock that regulates things like sleep, digestion, and energy. But what’s often missing from the conversation is the fact that women in their reproductive years also follow an infradian rhythm: a hormonal cycle that unfolds over approximately 28 days.

While men operate on a fairly consistent daily hormonal pattern (with testosterone peaking in the morning), women’s hormones fluctuate week by week. Estrogen, progesterone, insulin sensitivity, and even stress tolerance shift throughout the month.

That means we’re not meant to feel, perform, or operate the same every day — and that’s not a flaw. It’s biology.

Trying to live in a linear, go-go-go way that doesn’t respect this rhythm often leads to burnout, PMS, fatigue, or the feeling that something is “off.”

But when we start honoring our infradian rhythm, we unlock a more compassionate and aligned way of living.

Now let’s explore how this rhythm shows up through the four phases of your cycle.

The Four Phases of the Menstrual cycle

Your menstrual cycle can be divided into four distinct phases. Each one is governed by shifting hormones that influence how you feel, think, move, and show up in the world.

Menstrual Phase
This is when your period starts. Estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest, and your body is literally shedding what it no longer needs.
You might feel: tired, slower, more inward, maybe emotional— or you might just want to rest and be left alone (which is totally okay).
Best support: gentle movement, quiet time, warmth, reflection, doing less.
This is your time to slow down, let go and reset — physically and emotionally.
Nutrition Tips: Focus on warm, iron-rich foods and staying hydrated. Think comforting meals like lentil soup, chickpea stew, slow-cooked meats, cooked leafy greens (like spinach or kale), and roasted root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and carrots. These foods help replenish minerals and support energy during your bleed.
Follicular Phase
After your bleed, estrogen begins to rise. Your brain and body are getting ready for ovulation, and this usually brings a natural boost in energy and mood.
You might feel: lighter, more optimistic, creative, focused, or ready to plan and start new things.
Best support: strength training, trying something new, organising your week, or saying yes to social plans if that feels good. This is usually a great time to build momentum and get things moving.
This is usually a great time to build momentum and get things moving.
Nutrition Tips: Lighter, fresh foods often feel best as energy starts to rise. This is a great time for raw or lightly cooked veggies, fresh salads, smoothies with berries and greens, lean proteins like fish or eggs, and a little fermented food like sauerkraut or yogurt (if tolerated) to support digestion.
Ovulatory phase
This is when you release an egg. Estrogen peaks and testosterone rises a little too. Some women feel amazing during ovulation — more confident, magnetic, social — while others feel overstimulated or even anxious (especially if there’s estrogen dominance, impaired estrogen detoxification, or histamine sensitivity).
You might feel: bold, expressive, high-energy, sexy.
Best support: group classes, deeper conversations, strength/cardio combos, or grounding practices if you’re feeling wired.
Nutrition Tips: Your digestion is usually strong here — enjoy colorful, nutrient-rich meals that support detox and hormone metabolism. Think cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, rocket, cabbage), grilled fish or tofu, whole grains like quinoa, and bright fruits like berries or citrus.
Luteal Phase
After ovulation, progesterone takes the lead. This is the second half of your cycle, often where PMS shows up. Your body is preparing for either pregnancy or your next bleed.
You might feel: focused, introspective, sensitive, craving comfort — or maybe a little irritable and low-energy.
Best support: nourishing meals, blood sugars balance, stregth or slower workouts, soft structure, saying no when needed.
This is your “get things done but slowly” phase — it’s not a time to push hard, but you can still feel productive and grounded.
Nutrition tips: Increase magnesium-rich foods and complex carbs to support progesterone and reduce PMS symptoms. Try adding dark chocolate (70%+), pumpkin seeds, sweet potatoes, oats, cooked greens, and warming meals that feel cozy and stabilizing. Keep your blood sugar steady by pairing carbs with protein or healthy fats.

Why does this matter?

Because once you start tracking your cycle and tuning in, things start making so much more sense. You stop feeling like your moods and energy are random, and instead start noticing real patterns.

It’s empowering.
It brings compassion.
And it helps you support your body in ways that actually feel good — not forced.

Final thoughts

You don’t have to be perfectly in tune with your cycle. You don’t have to get everything “right.”

But learning about your hormones — and how to live in sync with them — is one of the most beautiful ways to build self-awareness and feel more at home in your body.

If you’re curious to explore this more — through movement, nutrition, or just honest conversation — I’m here for that.

You can also download my Free Guide to Menstrual Cycle Trackinh here.