Periods 101: Your Cycle, Your Hormones, and the Truth Behind “Balancing” Them

Today, we’re going back to basics — because, let’s face it, GCSE Biology taught us sweet FA when it comes to truly understanding what’s actually going on in our bodies each month. It definitely didn’t prepare us for the fact that, on average, a woman will spend around 7.5 years of her life menstruating (thanks ChatGPT for crunching those numbers). Yep — that’s over 2,500 days spent bleeding, cramping, craving, and (often) pretending like it’s all totally fine.

So let’s break through the shame, ditch the silence, and talk about our menstrual cycle, our sex hormones, and why understanding them matters for far more than just fertility. Because, spoiler: your period isn’t just a “monthly inconvenience” — it’s one of the most powerful indicators of your overall health as a woman.

The Female Menstrual Cycle: Why do I feel like four different people each month?

The female menstrual cycle remains one of the most under-researched areas of human physiology — with more scientific studies published on erectile dysfunction than on our cycle. It is the reason why us women are so often excluded from scientific studies altogether, and instead, we become reduced to a footnote: “Results may vary for menstruating women.”

But these fluctuating hormones don’t just impact your ability to conceive — they influence your mood, metabolism, sleep, energy, and even your gut health (find more on that in last week’s post).

So, let’s break it down: what’s actually going on during each phase of your cycle, and how are your two powerhouse hormones — oestrogen and progesterone — calling the shots?

To keep reading, head over to Dr. Emily Prpa’s Substack and dive into the full post.

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N.B. This content is for educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice.