The four phases of your menstrual cycle, and the season each one feels like.

Do you ever feel like you're on a roller coaster with your hormones? One day you're crushing your workout and checking everything off your to-do list, and the next day you can barely make it to the gym and the same weight feels way heavier. You want to laugh, cry, scream, run away to the forest, or at the very least curl up in a blanket with a pint of Ben and Jerry's.

That's your menstrual cycle. It can feel like you're lost without a map, but your cycle has its own guide, and it's the four phases. Once you know which phase you're in and what's going on in your body, a lot of things start to make sense.

Why I care so much about this

My cycle hit me harder than most, and for years I didn't know why. I have ADHD, and when estrogen drops before my period, my symptoms get a lot louder. I'd feel like I was losing it, and then my period would start and the whole world would make sense again. My mentor, Claire Baker, calls this cycle amnesia: you go through the same thing every month and forget you felt that way the month before. Learning the four phases is what finally broke that pattern for me.

The basics: two halves, four phases

Your cycle has two main events, ovulation and menstruation (your period), and it splits into two halves around them.

The first half is the follicular phase. It starts on the first day of your period and runs until ovulation. Estrogen, FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), and LH (luteinizing hormone) are the main players here. The second half is the luteal phase, from ovulation until your next period, and progesterone is the star. Testosterone plays a part too, peaking around ovulation.

Inside those two halves are four phases. I learned to think of them as seasons through the work of Red School, and it's how I teach them in my workshops. Each phase has a feel that matches a season, which makes them a lot easier to remember and a lot easier to notice in yourself.

Menstrual phase: your inner winter

About 3 to 7 days

This is the phase most of us are familiar with, your period. It's your body's natural reset. The uterine lining that's no longer needed sheds, and because your hormone levels are at their lowest, you might have cramps, feel tired, or feel emotionally low.

Winter is a time to slow down and turn inward, and this phase is a wonderful time to reflect and practice gentle self care. A warm magnesium salt bath, curling up with a good book, watching your favorite comfort sitcom, and nourishing your body with iron rich, warming foods can all feel incredibly supportive. For movement, think rest or very gentle stretching, especially the first couple of days.

Since this is your body's natural time of release, it's also a good time to let go of anything that isn't working for you and make space for new beginnings.

Follicular phase: your inner spring

About 7 to 10 days, from the end of your period to ovulation

After your period ends, energy starts to rise as estrogen takes the stage. FSH prompts the follicles in your ovaries, which house egg cells, to start maturing.

Like spring, this is a fresh, playful time. You'll likely feel more creative and productive, and you have more room for social plans and exercise as your energy climbs. Start projects, try new things, and let your ideas flow. Workouts can build gradually toward higher intensity, as long as you're checking in with your energy as you go.

Ovulatory phase: your inner summer

About 3 to 4 days

LH triggers the release of an egg, and estrogen and testosterone peak. A lot of women feel unstoppable here, confident and ready to take on the world. You might notice clear, stretchy cervical fluid, a higher libido, or a twinge of ovulation pain (it's called mittelschmerz). You're physically strongest around now, so it's a great time for high intensity workouts.

Summer energy is joyful and giving, and for some women it can also tip into anxiety. Save some of that energy just for you. Enjoy simple pleasures like ripe fruit, sun on your skin, and doing absolutely nothing for a little while.

Luteal phase: your inner autumn

About 10 to 14 days, from ovulation to your next period

After ovulation, progesterone takes the lead, preparing the uterine lining for a possible pregnancy. Your energy may stay high for a few days, then slowly starts to come down.

Toward the end of this phase you might notice PMS symptoms like mood swings, bloating, constipation, tender or swollen breasts, and migraines. PMS symptoms are common, but they're not part of an optimal menstrual cycle, so keep track of yours and bring them to your provider. If your symptoms feel severe, PMDD, endometriosis, and adenomyosis are all worth asking about.

Be kind to yourself during this time. Prioritize rest, stress relief like meditation and gentle movement, and nourishing, liver supporting foods. Lower intensity strength training and plenty of protein can feel really supportive here. Autumn is an inward time, and you can use that introspective energy for journaling, reflection, and editing your life. Time alone can feel especially nourishing.

Your cycle is a vital sign

Understanding these phases changes things. You can start to predict your energy, plan around it, and know when in your cycle you need some extra grace. You get to enjoy each season too: the relief and release of your period, the new beginnings of spring, the energy of summer, and the cozy, introverted pull of autumn.

Your cycle isn't a weakness. It's information from your body and a map to understanding yourself better, and when something is off, it's often the first place you'll see it.

How to get started

• Track your whole cycle. It's a myth that every cycle is 28 days with ovulation on day 14. Some women have shorter cycles and some have longer ones, and tracking shows you your own pattern. Day one is the first day of your period, and you count forward from there. My free mini course walks you through how to chart.
• Notice one or two things a day. Your energy, your mood, your sleep. After a few cycles, your patterns start to show up on paper, and cycle amnesia loses its grip.
• Make room for rest and pleasure in every phase. Not just during your period.

I'm a coach, not a doctor. This article is education, not medical advice. If something feels off with your cycle, bring it to your provider.