What You Can Learn From Tracking Your Period

Does your period ever surprise you? 

You know, like when you’re minding your own business and POW!  doubled over with cramps? 

Or when all of a sudden everybody seems to piss you off? 

Worst of all…feeling your flow start and knowing for a fact that you don’t have your cup/tampons/pads with you? 

Taking a small amount of time to dial in to what’s going on throughout your cycle can make all that a thing of the past! 

Trust me- I’m *never* surprised by my period anymore. Even if the day it arrives doesn’t line up exactly with what my tracking app says, I know when she’s coming. 

I’ve always got what I need, and I can make plans ahead of time to take extra good care of myself during my moon time. 

Tracking your cycle is so easy! Read on to find out what paying close attention to your body’s messages can do for you. 

Recognizing Health Issues and Imbalances 

Your period can be an early warning system for issues going on in other parts of the body. Long or short cycles, specific PMS symptoms, the color or quantity of blood- all of these are your body’s way of telling you something’s up. They don’t call it the 5th vital sign for nothin!

“When a regular menstrual cycle becomes irregular, it may indicate a hormone and/or thyroid issue, liver function problems, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes or a host of other health conditions. “ 

–All About Women OBGYN

Knowing what *your* normal cycle looks like is key before you can recognize irregularities. 

Bye Bye PMS 

Noting which nasty inconveniences PMS brings your way each month can actually be the first step to getting rid of them (or at least getting them to CTFD already). 

Here’s a common example from HelloClue, a popular period tracking app:

 “ If your progesterone is low, you suffer anxiety throughout most of the second half of your cycle. You may experience other symptoms of low progesterone such as premenstrual spotting (light bleeding) and clots with your period.

Now you can look into some natural ways to increase progesterone (here ya go) and see how it goes the next few months. What if you could ease or eliminate the worst of your PMS? Definitely worth the time spent to make a few notes in an app or your planner! 

 Amazing, isn’t it?? 

Living in the Season 

As you move through your cycle each month, you travel through 4 distinct phases known as the “seasons” of your cycle. 

Need a refresher? Check out these posts for all the details!

Working With Your Flow: The Four Seasons of the Menstrual Cycle

Inner Winter- Have A Happy Period

Inner Summer: Step Into Your Power

Noting when your cycle starts and ends opens the door to understanding and maximizing whatever season you happen to be in. For example, if you know that your period is due on April 11, you probably won’t make big plans for the 10th. (You may be the exception, but most people who bleed aren’t in the mood to do much the day before a new cycle begins.) 

Conversely, when you get an invitation to speak at an event on April 22, you can check your calendar (or app) and find out that you’ll be at the tail end of the follicular phase and moving into your inner summer (ovulation), which is your time to SHINE! 

Planning Ahead

When you track your entire cycle for a few months, patterns will start to emerge. Not only will you know when menstruation should begin- you’ll also gain super valuable insights on how your body handles it. 

Maybe you’ll see that your flow is typically light the first day, and MUCH heavier the second day. Knowing this ahead of time helps you work with your body and accept it, rather than cursing yourself for starting a road trip on day 2 with only 1 extra tampon.

Of course, if you had a menstrual cup you would be fine, because it can be used over and over and over!! Just sayin’ 🙂

Here’s a personal example from my tracking experience- I tend to get BAD cramps around ovulation. Now that I’ve begun tracking, I’m more aware of the potential for pain at that time of the month. I can look back and see if it happens the same day each time. 

I can write down a few notes on what I’m eating, my water intake, and my activity levels, and check to see if any of it makes my cramps better or worse. 

I can potentially make those cramps less of a problem or even eliminate them entirely– just by paying attention. Slowing down and making space in each day to hear what my body, what my womb, has to tell me. It’s gold, guys, I’m telling you! You have so much power within yourself to heal. 

It’s kind of what this whole blog is based on! 

What To Track 

Ready to get started?

You can do this on paper, or with an app like Flo, Ovia, or Clue. If you’re going with paper, I recommend something that allows you room to note whatever symptoms/moods/energy levels/anything else you want to. 

There are plenty of printable charts out there, or you could start a new journal, use red ink in your planner, whatever works!

Here’s what you should be paying attention to: 

Duration 

Note the day your flow starts and stops. From the first day of your period until the last day before it comes back around= 1 cycle. This helps you determine the overall length of your cycle. An irregular cycle, or one that’s notably long or short-more than more than 36 or less than 24 days- could be a sign that your body needs some help in menstruating in a healthy and efficient way. 

Flow Intensity 

Each day of your period, note whether your flow is heavy, medium, light, or spotting. You really don’t want to be at either extreme. Obviously a really heavy flow is usually more painful and inconvenient compared to a barely noticeable light one, but scant bleeding can indicate an underlying health issue as well. 

Color

Brown, dark red, bright red, or pink

Symptoms

• Pain (including cramps, headaches, low back pain)
• Bloating
• Mood shifts/ strong moods/ irritability 
• Cravings
• Acne 
• Breast tenderness 
• Digestive issues
• Fatigue 

***Bonus Tip***

I really believe that you’ll get the most out of this if you stop and take stock *every* day- not just when you’re menstruating. 

Making it a priority and a habit to be so self-aware will have it’s benefits.  You’ll start to realize that it is a cycle. It’s a circle. It repeats itself and comes back around over and over again.

Each time, you get another chance to tune into the magic inside. 

To tap into the amazing and unlimited power of your womb. 

To love yourself a little more. 

Drop me a comment below if you’ve tried this, or want to try it now! I’m just starting out on this journey and would love to talk more about it. 

Love and Happy Periods! 

-Jacki