Your Cycle, Phase by Phase

Your period marks the start of a new cycle. Estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest — this is why energy often dips and you may feel more inward. The uterine lining sheds over 3–7 days; average blood loss is 30–40 ml. Cramps happen because your uterus contracts to expel the lining. Many women feel more tired and emotionally sensitive during this phase — this is biological, not weakness.

Overlaps with menstruation at the start, then continues after bleeding ends. Estrogen rises steadily, follicles develop in the ovaries, and one dominant follicle prepares to release an egg. This is often the highest-energy phase — mood lifts, focus sharpens, skin tends to be clearer, and workouts feel easier. Your body is literally rebuilding and preparing.

The most fertile window of your cycle — roughly 24 hours when the egg is viable after release, plus the 3–5 days before (sperm can live that long in fertile mucus). Estrogen peaks just before ovulation, then drops; testosterone rises slightly (libido often peaks). Cervical mucus becomes clear, stretchy, and egg-white-like. Basal body temperature rises ~0.3°C the day after ovulation and stays up. Some women feel mittelschmerz (one-sided pelvic pain) during release.

After ovulation, progesterone rises and prepares the uterine lining for possible pregnancy. If no pregnancy, progesterone falls in the last few days, triggering the next period. This phase is when PMS symptoms show up — mood changes, bloating, breast tenderness, cravings, fatigue, sleep changes. Severe PMS (PMDD) is a real medical condition and deserves treatment. A luteal phase shorter than 10 days may affect fertility.