There are so many ways in life we put pen to paper and at AOL we’re always exploring different ways to use your notebooks to benefit not only your productivity but also your wellbeing. Enter Beatrice Thorne of Eve Wellness, the New Zealand company shedding light on menstrual and hormonal health issues with their at-home hormone testing kit and supplement range to support you throughout your cycle.

Beatrice talks us through the notion of cyclical journaling and breaks down the phases or seasons of your cycle to better understand how you can work with your body during these seasons. 

Cyclical journaling is a really great way to track hormones and get in tune with your body. Whether you’re trying to conceive or managing monthly changes in mood and energy, cyclical journaling can help harness our energy at certain times of the month when we’re likely to feel more outgoing, or more introspective. More creative, or happier to potter away on admin. 

Understanding the different seasons of your cycle unlocks so much great information you can use to play to your strengths at different times of the month. 

The Basics

If you were to learn about the menstrual cycle from a textbook, it would talk about a 28-day cycle with ovulation occurring at the half-way point of day 14. As it turns out, our bodies aren’t always ‘textbook’, so as a general rule, any cycle length between 24 and 35 days is considered ‘normal’. 

There are four phases, or seasons, to your cycle, and each represents a change in the choreography that makes up your hormonal balance. Each phase has a slightly different vibe, and once you tune into it you’ll start to notice distinct differences in your desires, energy levels and moods as you cycle your way through the month.

Winter: Period (roughly days 1 - 6)

The first day of your menstrual cycle is when your period arrives, and you start your bleed.

During this phase you’ll probably notice that you feel a bit more introspective, which is partly due to your hormone levels dipping to allow for you to shed your uterine lining and menstruate. Our hormones help us to feel energetic, outgoing and motivated so it’s natural that when they drop away we might swing into a more introverted phase.

This is a lovely time to use that introspection to reflect on your past month, journaling about the things you are grateful for, what went well, what you’re proud of and how you’re feeling. We love the monogrammable Vegan Leather lined notebook for this.  

Spring: Follicular phase (roughly days 6 - 13) 

The follicular phase is generally a pretty good time. Any period-related symptoms have melted away, our oestrogen and testosterone levels are on the rise helping us to feel more outgoing, adventurous and positive; like we can take on the world. Whether it’s grabbing a Blank Notebook to plan the project that’s been buzzing around your brain, or making a to-do list in your Mid Year Diary, this is a great time to harness your oestrogen-fuelled outward energy. 

Summer: Ovulation (roughly days 14 - 21) 

Once oestrogen has risen to a peak during the follicular phase, it triggers a chain of hormonal events that eventually releases a mature egg from one of your ovaries. If you want to get pregnant this is your window. If you’re not looking to create new life right now, this is the time to be careful. Hormonally speaking, this is when oestrogen and testosterone are both at their peaks, making you feel more creative, confident and sexy. 

Autumn: Luteal Phase (from ovulation until the start of your next cycle)

As your oestrogen and testosterone levels start to ebb away during the luteal phase, an incoming rise in progesterone brings the mood back to chill. These two hormonal changes make this a more inward-focused time where you’ll likely find slower-paced activities like journaling and reading more attractive. Cue some journaling prompts and the Turn The Page Lined Leather Notebook to help you tune into you. 

The later luteal phase is also when things can get interesting with PMS-type symptoms such as mood swings, cramping, breast tenderness, insomnia and feelings of anxiety.