Does Cycle Syncing Actually Promote Productivity?

Historically, women would refer to syncing cycles as a result of “spending too much time with your homegirls and now all of a sudden you all are battling pms together” - and someone always conveniently has an extra tampon. Followed by your kids turning up with “cousins” around the same age as them a little further into your adult life.

Today we’re talking about a different type of cycle syncing that has become all the rage when the girlies start to focus on their wellness. There are tons of apps, articles, and blog posts that help guide you in tailoring your fitness journey and diet around your menstrual cycle. Once you have all of the big name health sites like healthline, forbes, health central; along with various clinics, universities, institutes AND the New York Times tapped in? Yea, a phenomenon for sure.

Most articles and people reference using cycle syncing for fitness and dieting, which is great… but what about your overall general productivity?

The Four Phases of Your Menstrual Cycle

There are four phases of your menstrual cycle that each release different levels of hormones leaving you with varying amounts of energy through each phase. Your menstrual cycle is measured from the first day of your period to the first day of your next period.

Menstruation Phase

Menstruation is the first phase of your menstrual cycle that begins as the shedding of the uterus lining. Typically the lining of your uterus thickens to support pregnancy, however, estrogen and progesterone levels drop when the egg is not fertilized causing the uterus lining to shed and release through the vagina.

It’s no secret to any of us who experience this cycle on a monthly basis that energy and moods tend to run extremely low during the menstruation phase, as estrogen levels are at their lowest point.

Follicular Phase 

The follicular phase actually begins on the first day of your period and runs for about 13 to 14 days into the beginning of ovulation. According to Healthline, the pituitary gland releases a follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) that supports the ovaries production of immature eggs as estrogen levels are back on the rise. 

Ovulation Phase

During ovulation, multiple hormones like progesterone, testosterone, and luteinizing hormone (LH) begin to spike; with estrogen at its peak, as your body prepares for pregnancy. Ovulation is where a mature egg is released from your ovaries and travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus in hopes of being fertilized. This phase generally would last for approximately 3-5 days as the egg only lives for about 24 hours after being released, if not fertilized. 

There obviously is no precise measure of when your body will transition between each stage, which is why the high fertility window ranges for a few days. 

Luteal Phase

Very similar to the follicular phase, there is some overlap between ovulation and the luteal phase as your body begins preparing to nurture a fertilized egg. If pregnancy occurs, the fertilized egg will attach to the thickened uterus lining. If pregnancy does not occur, hormone levels begin to decrease and your cycle will start over with menstruation.

Another article from Forbes mentions that experts have noted the use of hormonal contraceptives potentially suppressing ovulation and therefore distorting the typical menstrual cycle. It is very important to also note that no two people have the same microbiome makeup and each person’s cycle and physical reaction to their cycle varies.

Maximizing Productivity with Cycle Syncing

So what does all of this mean for us and how does it tie into increasing productivity? The most overlooked key to success by many is listening to your body. Becoming more in tune with what it is that your body needs at any given moment can mean all the difference between heading into unexpected illnesses and maintaining your physical and mental health. I have found syncing key tasks and big events around my cycle to be such a saving grace to not only my mental health but also the amount of energy I can give to executing tasks.

In her first published book, Woman Code , nutritionist and women’s hormone expert Alisa Vitti coined the process of cycle syncing. What I am proposing isn’t much different than taking the original ideals and tips provided by the genius herself.

It is so important for our mental and physical health to give our brains a chance to reset. What better time than taking advantage of the low energy levels during your menstruation phase. I don’t know about you but I almost always rather not be bothered and ready to just curl up, watch a good movie, or have a good unapologetic cry during my period. Just like every other busy woman, I never really gave myself a chance to slow down because there are never enough hours in the day! Cycle syncing has allowed my period to become a time to give myself grace and not feel guilty about having a hibernation period of low productivity. REST, REST, REST! 

It may even be helpful to think of your cycle phases as the four seasons - winter, spring, summer, and fall. 

During your follicular phase, you might have a sense of “what the hell was I crying for?” or feeling like a new woman who just got over a hump. I like to use this time for planning out ideas with a freshly rested and reset brain. It's been said that towards the end of the follicular phase is when your skin is typically most clear and most women experience higher sex drives due to the rise in estrogen. Do what you want with that - I’m just the messenger :)

Now, I want each of you to really pay attention to when you feel most confident, sexy, and ready to take over the world. If you check your period tracker app or count the days from the start of your last period, I dare you to tell me it’s not around day 13 during ovulation. I’ll wait… This is probably the best time to consider executing on any big plans, as you are more likely to get into character and walk away feeling great with a win. With the spike in testosterone this is when we are most perceptible in tapping into our masculine energy. 

Lastly, the luteal phase is a great time to reflect on your successes and embrace your journey as feelings of anxiety tend to be higher in this phase of your cycle than others. Remind yourself of how badass you are as you prepare for the decline in energy levels and increased levels of bitchy. Forbes Health notes that it is not uncommon to experience brain fog or have trouble concentrating during this phase, which in my unprofessional opinion doesn’t make it the best time to tackle large and important tasks. But hey, who am I? With your body’s natural levels of serotonin on the decline in the latter half of your cycle, it would be a great time to schedule a massage or engage in activities that increase your levels of serotonin. Granted there are various workouts and physical activities you can do throughout your cycle, however, we want to prepare for the low season of our cycle and utilize those final bursts of energy. 

I tend to tailor my morning and night routines for the week around what menstrual phase I am in and it has been a game changer!!!

Useful Resources and Tools

For starters, I would highly recommend using a period tracking app, journal, or calendar to track your periods and moods as you move through the different phases of your cycle. I’ve been hearing a lot of fear or conspiracy around sharing your menstrual cycle with apps that can use your information in conjunction with the government given the changes in political views around abortion. That is a personal choice/view to consider. I for one am not too concerned with that, but to each is own. 

Even if you decide to track your cycle with a calendar and journal, it is undeniably beneficial to recognize your body’s patterns and adjust your routines and habits as you see fit.

Shameless plug - I have also created a planner called “The Self Agenda” where you can document and cycle sync your productivity, plans, events, routines, and even monthly goals around your menstrual cycle. You can find a link to the agenda above or in the products section of my website.

In closing, your period can either be your best friend or your worst enemy, but it is our choice in how we interact with our bodies during its fluctuating phases of life.