Let’s talk about those phases! Phases?
Note: I will be using terms including “people/those who menstruate,” “those who experience periods,” “individuals” within this article. The terms “woman/women” “girls” “ladies” will not be used as they can be harmful and exclusive. To read more about the importance of using inclusive language in period conversations, click the link below!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CthXcvKPt51/?img_index=1
Nice to see you again in Autumn – it’s the luteal phase! It is the fourth phase of the menstrual cycle and well… it might not be everyone’s favourite. However, I think it’s got a bad rap! Autumn has its own superpowers, and I find that my experience learning about the luteal phase has been the most comforting in my journey. I would like to mention that if you are interested in learning about the rest of the phases of the menstrual cycle, I have all the links to each article at the end. As always, thank you for joining me on this journey; together, we can build beautiful understanding communities, and that starts with openness and education. Let’s learn!
The Luteal Phase!
Welcome to the luteal phase! This phase is Autumn season and we are cozying up as the cycle is coming to a close. As Maisie Hill writes in her book “Period Power,” we are likely to arrive in Autumn around day 20-21 in a 28 day cycle.1 Knowing when you’re in your Autumn can look like having your productive energy from Spring/Summer interrupted, feeling highly sensitive to criticism, withdrawing and detaching yourself, or even feeling more assertive to focus on you.2 As estrogen decreases and progesterone increases, menstruating individuals can feel low-energy, grumpy, irritable, sad, tired, or all of the above3
I call my partner on a Thursday evening complaining that things are going wrong (why’s my hair look like that, what am I doing with my life, I’m falling behind). I feel like nothing is going right, I’m more sensitive to everyone else’s energy, and then a week or two later… I get my period. This is quickly followed by “ohhh, that’s why!” Knowing how Autumn impacts me is comforting – I tell myself that everything is okay and that this difficult time too shall pass, compassionately suggesting that maybe it’s time to slow down and watch some Shaun the Sheep.
Autumn isn’t all bad! In understanding yourself, asking questions, and lending self-compassion, the luteal phase is a time where your hormones help you prioritize your own needs and desires.4 If you, like me, have an inner critic that goes haywire during Autumn, I recommend trying self-compassion, and… make sure you aren’t hangry because basic self-care like eating, sleeping, and staying hydrated are non-negotiable in Autumn.5 However, if you’re more into channeling that inner b*tch (and by inner b*tch I mean that uncensored voice), challenge your inner critic to a duel – talk to them like those shower conversations you have about someone who just pisses you off (don’t lie to me, I know you do it). Call them out of their sh*t – Oh yeah? I’m useless, huh? So, let me get this straight – you’re telling me that I’m useless, well okay, let’s run that back. Useless of what, exactly? 6 I’m not kidding. If you do it to other people you can do it to your inner Gordon Ramsay.
So, what can you do in the luteal phase? Self-care! Wind down your daily activities, give yourself grace, read a book, or take a walk in nature. As I hope I have reiterated in each of these articles on the phases, self-care is important no matter what phase you’re in. If you need a nap, take that nap. The decline of oestrogen accompanies a decline in serotonin (the happiness hormone)7 and can also cause increased appetite.8 Making sure you’re eating regular nutrient dense meals full of protein, healthy fats, and fiber is important.9 Hill recommends that doing a big grocery shop in Summer is a great idea to give you a head start to eating well in Autumn.10 This also means listening to your feelings rather than blaming your cycle – truly, Autumn is just highlighting feelings that have been there all along, and ignoring feelings of anger can be a real disservice to you. 11
Thank you for following along on this journey with me through the phases. It’s been a gift to share my story with you. I asked myself the other day: why do I write these kinds of articles? It is because we all deserve the opportunity to reconnect with and understand the wisdom of our bodies. You, me, our families, our communities–we all deserve to feel safe and heard about our experiences and I hope these articles give you a space to connect with others around you. I’ll bring this article to a close with heartfelt words from those I hold close, sharing their questions and reflections on how learning about the menstrual phases has made a difference in their lives.
“It is so validating for my experience to learn that these changes in energy are just the workings of my body and reminds me to be in tune with that energy in those phases” -Meredith Hutton
“Oh, I had a bad cramp but I’m ovulating, what could have caused it?” – Stefania Dragalin
“Despite reading books, I never saw anything about the follicular or luteal phases…they never talked about the menstrual cycle other than a side effect of not becoming pregnant…I learned more about the period itself. Even as a non-menstruating person, I still like knowing.”- Will Huttman
– A fellow bleeder
Menstrual Series: Parts 1-3
Rooted in Reconnection: The Menstrual Phase
https://www.hercampus.com/school/mcmaster/rooted-in-reconnection-the-menstrual-phase/
Rooted in Reawakening: The Follicular Phase
https://www.hercampus.com/school/mcmaster/rooted-in-reawakening-the-follicular-phase/
Rooted in Radiance: The Ovulatory Phase
https://www.hercampus.com/school/mcmaster/rooted-in-radiance-the-ovulatory-phase/
References:
[1] Hill, Maisie. “Highway to Hell (Autumn).” Essay. In Period Power, 134-168. London, United Kingdom: Green Tree, 2019.
[2] Hill, “Period Power,” 136.
[3] Hill, “Period Power,” 135.
[4] Hill, “Period, Power,” 137.
[5] Hill, “Period Power,” 149-150.
[6] Hill, “Period Power,” 143.
[7] Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic medical. “Serotonin.” Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22572-serotonin.
[8] Hill, “Period Power,” 149.
[9] Hill, “Period Power,” 149.
[10] Hill, “Period Power,” 168.
[11] Hill, “Period Power,” 153.