It’s Not You, It’s Hormones
October 15, 2024
Writer: Skye Mark
Editor: Hannah Ostfield
Sometimes I find it hard to know exactly what my body needs. I remember one particular Thursday night last year all of my sorority sisters were getting ready to go out. Throughout the entire week, I felt this heavy energy battling to take over my mind and body. I assured myself that I probably just need to get more sleep and I’ll be ready for the weekend. By the time Thursday rolled around, I grew frustrated as I recalled everything I tried to do that week to remedy my mental and physical fatigue: Going on runs, eating more healthy, getting more sleep, yet, I still felt this heavy energy battling to take over my mind and body. I began to spiral; beating down on myself as I scrolled through Instagram searching for some source of external validation, which only deepened my confusion of friends seemingly being able to live these vibrant lives. I thought to myself, “There has to be something wrong with me. I’m doing all of the right things, yet, still I feel like shit.”I decided that dwelling on my negative mood would only make matters worse so I gathered my schoolwork and headed to the library to put my focus into something more productive. Nothing could have prepared me for what I would find that night.
I opened my laptop and began searching through my emails. Hidden between the potential spam and clothing ads appeared a message from a hormone app ambassador asking if I would be interested in partnering with her to bring the idea of a period tracker, called Aavia to my sorority. “I already have an app that tells me when I’m getting my period. Why would this one be any more special?” As I clicked on the PowerPoint that the woman shared with me, the cover-page caught my attention in big bold font: How Hormones Impact Everything. Upon flipping through the slides, I immediately began to feel a sense of ease along with a sense of urgency. How could it be that hormones have an impact on every sect of a woman’s life, yet nobody is talking about it?
It turns out that hormone research only started in the early 20th century. This was baffling to find out considering hormones impact one’s mood, energy, sleep, sex drive, skin, productivity, and more all cycle long, and not just on your period. Learning more about hormones and its effects can teach you how to best optimize these aspects of your life depending on the phase you are in.
In a hormonal cycle there are only two phases: follicular and luteal. The follicular phase starts on the first day of your period and lasts from 1-14 days. This is the time to go out and have fun. The rise in estrogen leading to ovulation gives you a boost of energy, craving more socialization. You’ll also notice that you might feel like you look better too during this time: glowing face, clear skin, more symmetrical. This is a good time for more high intensity workouts and locking in on your schoolwork. The second half of your cycle is your luteal phase: this is the time your body has the most trouble getting deep sleep so prioritize resting, allow yourself permission to take a night in! On the bright side, during this phase your estrogen levels drop and progesterone rises which gives you better memory. Eating more protein during this time is crucial as your body burns more calories at its resting state. You are also more prone to injury at this time too, so take this time to focus on low impact exercises and stretching.
All of this information is backed by clinicians and proven by science. This data was even demonstrated by the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team when they aligned their training with hormonal fluctuations which ended up winning them the world cup in 2019. The benefits of using one’s hormone forecast were highlighted through their success.
As soon as I started learning about this, I began pre-planning my schedule geared towards my hormonal fluctuations using the app. I instantly started to feel more energized. I was able to go out more often; when I don’t go out, I am finally able to feel that internal validation knowing that it is scientifically better for my body to stay in during this time Everyone is at different stages in their cycles and the only aspect you can control is how to best set yourself up for success during each stage. It takes less of the pressure off of you, allows you to affirm your moods, and better understand why you are feeling the way you are feeling. If you would like to learn more about how to cater to your specialized hormone cycle, download the app, Aavia, and see if it works for you!
Image: Julia Bonanno
