As women, our bodies are designed to move through natural rhythms every month. Yet most of us were never taught just how much our hormones affect the way we feel, perform, and even think throughout our cycle.
Learning to cycle sync—to align your lifestyle, workouts, and self-care practices with the different phases of your menstrual cycle—is one of the most empowering ways to support your wellness.
Below is a breakdown of each phase and how you can begin working with your body, instead of against it:
Menstrual Phase (Phase 1) | Rest and Reflect
(Note: We’re using phases here instead of counting days because each cycle—and each person—is different. This is why learning to track your own cycle is so powerful. I cover this deeply in my coaching work, and you can also read more about the impact of hormonal birth control on natural rhythms in this blog post.)
• What’s happening:
Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are at their lowest. Your body is working hard to shed the uterine lining—this requires a lot of internal energy.
Fun fact: when someone says you’re “being hormonal” here—they’re actually wrong! Your hormone levels are very low during this phase, which is often why you feel low energy.
• How you might feel when your hormones are balanced:
Inward-focused, calm, craving rest and solitude.
• How you might feel when your hormones are out of balance:
Fatigue, irritability, pain, brain fog, intense cravings, difficulty sleeping.
• Supportive practices:
Gentle movement like yin yoga or slow walks, extra sleep, journaling, warm and nourishing meals, permission to slow down—without guilt.
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Follicular Phase (Phase 2) | Build and Create
• What’s happening:
Estrogen and other hormones begins to rise, boosting your mood, energy, and motivation. Your body is prepping for ovulation.
• How you might feel when your hormones are balanced:
More energized, optimistic, clear-headed—ready to take on something new.
• How you might feel when your hormones are out of balance:
Restlessness, anxiety, irritability, poor focus despite the energy spike.
• Supportive practices:
Strength and cardio workouts, starting new projects, creative brainstorming, social planning. This is a great time to dream big.
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Ovulatory Phase (Phase 3) | Peak Power
• What’s happening:
Estrogen, testosterone and other hormones peak. You’re likely at your highest physical and emotional energy. This phase is ideal for connecting, performing, and being seen.
• How you might feel when your hormones are balanced:
Magnetic, strong, confident, social, outgoing.
• How you might feel when your hormones are out of balance:
Anxiety, skin issues, bloating, irritability, sleep disruptions.
• Supportive practices:
High-intensity workouts, lifting heavier weights, public speaking, collaborations, date nights, group fitness, important meetings.
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Luteal Phase (Phase 4) | Nurture and Ground
• What’s happening:
Progesterone rises to support a potential pregnancy (even if you’re not trying to conceive). Energy often starts to wane towards the end of this phase, and mode can shift, especially if hormones are out of balance here. PMS symptoms often show up here.
• How you might feel when your hormones are balanced:
Grounded, focused, reflective, needing alone time.
• How you might feel when your hormones are out of balance:
Mood swings, anxiety, bloating, fatigue, food cravings, heightened sensitivity.
• Supportive practices:
Gentle strength training towards the end of this phase (strength training is actually really powerful but only at the part where progesterone and estrogen is high) yoga, nervous system support (like breathwork or massage), meal prepping, one-on-one connection, nesting, cuddling with partner, setting boundaries, and rest.
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Why This Matters
When you understand these natural hormonal shifts, you can stop blaming yourself for feeling inconsistent—and start working with your body’s rhythm.
• Feeling tired during your period? That’s not weakness—it’s biology.
• Crushing your workouts mid-cycle? That’s your hormones working in your favor.
• Feeling more emotional before your period? That’s your body asking for support.
Cycle syncing empowers you to match your social activities, workouts, relationships, work life and even self-care practices to what your body needs right now—instead of following a one-size-fits-all plan that doesn’t respect your rhythm.
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The Bottom Line
You are not meant to operate the same way every day of the month.
Your changing hormones aren’t obstacles—they’re intelligent signals your body uses to guide you. When you honor your cycle, you build deeper trust with your body, improve your physical and emotional health, and reclaim a sense of flow.
If this concept is new to you—start simple. Begin to notice when your energy dips or rises. Start tracking your cycle. And if you’re on hormonal birth control, know that your natural rhythms are suppressed (and that’s okay—there’s no shame, just more to learn). You can explore more in my blog on BBT tracking, and if you’re curious about personalized support, check out my Women's Health & Nutrition Coaching Program.
You are powerful in every phase.
Let’s start honoring it.
Dr. Em
Dr. Emily Mason
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