cycle
Me, me, me and also me: 4 personalities that we go through every month
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Ovulation, PMS and periods: Every month our hormones cause turmoil in our bodies and in our minds. Sometimes we feel irresistible, sometimes unbearable. We take on these four personalities every month.
1. The quiet one
Our cycle starts with menstruation. The phase of the month in which we are supposed to recover, a regeneration time for the body and head. The reset button in the cycle. It’s a cleansing and healing phase of the cycle – everything has to go. We need peace and quiet and give our emotions more space than the rational voice in our head. Instead of big action, we prefer to lie on the sofa, watch one series after the other, read a book and would much rather wear joggers instead of jeans. Menstruation is our mode of reflection, looking at the past and perhaps even developing new goals and ideas.
2. The curious one
After your period and before ovulation, we are in the follicular phase. The follicle grows, the uterine lining slowly rebuilds and estrogen levels rise. Growth phase: Our body awakens from hibernation. Spring fever is the order of the day. We thrive, have more energy and our self-confidence increases. We approach projects with fresh energy and are curious about new things. With a good dose of motivation, creativity and fun, we boost our job and everyday life. We are at the start and want to experience something.
3. The Queen
After the follicular phase comes the ovulation phase. Our hormonal zenith. Testosterone, dopamine and serotonin levels are at their peak, as are estrogen levels – the hormonal sun is at its zenith. Summer! We feel completely comfortable, sexy and desirable. Ladies, we’re beaming and in the mood for sex. It’s not just us who notice that we feel completely comfortable, but also everyone else. A perfect time to strut into salary discussions or job interviews with your head held high. Now we have the power to convince people with our ideas and suggestions. Just like queens do.
4. The critic
As we all know, after summer comes autumn and it gets darker again. Ovulation is a thing of the past and progesterone is produced in large quantities in the ovaries, which ensures that the mucous membrane is built up even more, our body temperature rises by 0.4-0.6 degrees and the metabolism speed increases, which is why we want something all the time want to eat. At the same time, progesterone makes us feel calmer and fall asleep more quickly. It’s time to shut down. The perfect phase for quiet routines, tidying up, decluttering, sleeping, eating, finishing projects, building a den. At the same time, our inner critic also feels particularly comfortable in this phase. We analyze, listen within ourselves, question. The luteal phase can be pretty nasty, but at the same time it can also be really good and important. It makes us more empathetic and allows us to tackle problems that we would otherwise tend to put off. By the way: This phase is perfect for giving up stupid habits.
Which one are you in right now?
One body, four personalities, every month. It’s really tiring. But it also has advantages. After all, our hormones also ensure that we take a step back and put our feet up. If we just listen carefully… And have the time for it… The good thing is: We can practice it again regularly and, with the knowledge about our bodies, take some things less seriously, look at them differently, take the weight off them and look what we can do for ourselves right now. Thank you, dear hormones, for turning our lives upside down every month. We saw through you.