Menstrual cycle phase - Autumn
The autumn phase of your period, also known as the luteal phase, is characterised by a shift away from feeling creative and outgoing to being focused, sombre and introspective. Unfortunately this is the time when women can suffer the most.
What’s going on physically
During this luteal phase of your cycle, progesterone should be dominant. After ovulation, the follicle that has just released the empty cavity that produced the egg restructures itself into a temporary gland (corpus lutetium) and secretes progesterone. It’s the time typically lasting 10-16 days between ovulation and your bleed, which is determined by the lifespan of the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum grows super quickly; in less than 1 day it develops from pretty much nothing to a 4-cm structure with blood vessels.
“There isn’t anywhere else in the body where you have to develop a tissue from scratch in such a short period of time and get a blood supply in so fast”
Dr Sarah Robertson
The follicle’s full journey from primary follicle to the final stage of corpus luteum takes roughly 100 days, and during this time whatever might have affected the follicle’s health will also affect the health of the corpus luteum. That can be inflammation, thyroid disease, a problem with insulin, nutrient deficiencies such as magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin D, zinc and selenium. Any of those things can affect, for instance, the number of cells within the follicle, that release follicle stimulating hormone and leutinising hormone.
Which is why your general health and nutrition are so important – you need to be able to develop a healthy follicle for 100 days and it needs to be able to transform into a 4-cm large corpus luteum gland in less than a day. Your sleep, stress, diet, booze, caffeine and so on are all going to be having an effect on this process and that may manifest in symptoms.
The low-down on progesterone
Progesterone is your pregnancy - pro-gestation - hormone and a key hormone for period health. It counterbalances oestrogen, so while oestrogen thickens your uterine lining, progesterone develops it. When you want healthy periods, you really want robust levels of progesterone. Think of progesterone as your yin to your oestrogen’s yang. Which is where imbalance comes in – they work best when they are equally balanced, but when if one was to dominate the other, problems can start manifesting and you experience symptoms.
Progesterone is beneficial to your body other than as your pregnancy hormone. It has anti-inflammatory properties, it regulates your immune response, supports heart health, breasts and bones, soothes the nervous system (this is a big one) and supports sleep.
By producing a compound that’s similar to GABA, your calming hormone, it helps you feel relaxed and sleepy. One of the things that synthetic hormones in hormonal birth control do is stop you producing progesterone because they suppress ovulation. Your natural progesterone is replaced by progestins that mimic progesterone but they don’t have this calming effect, which is why they often cause anxiety - and unfortunately increased suicidal ideation in women.
Progesterone also has an important role in the prevention of breast and endometrial cancer.
What happens if you don’t ovulate?
Sometimes your follicles won’t reach the final stages of development into a corpus luteum so you won’t make progesterone – but you can still bleed. This is because your follicles still make oestrogen when growing and trying to ovulate and eventually that lining will have to shed. This is common with PCOS and perimenopause, but can also occur randomly at other times too.
What’s causing your PMS…
Remember, the first half of your cycle is dominant with oestrogen, to stimulate ovulation and build up the uterine lining. The second half should be more dominant with progesterone, which prepares your body for a potential embryo.
TOO LITTLE PROGESTERONE:
Because progesterone is balancing and soothing and helps to counteract stress and build your resistance to it, when there isn’t enough, you can feel irritable, anxious, depressed, wiped out, have trouble sleeping, have spotting or light periods – or miscarriages. You might have low progesterone because you have been using NSAIDs like Ibuprofen (it suppresses ovulation), lots of ongoing stress (doesn’t have to be a big dramatic event - it can be micro-stresses that build up without you really noticing), excess oestrogen and poor ovulation. Signs of low progesterone are having PMS/PMDD, anxiety, ‘infertility’ and pregnancy loss, insomnia, irritability and heavy periods.
TOO MUCH OESTROGEN:
Another problem is having too much oestrogen in the second half, which is referred to as oestrogen dominance, and is typical in women with endometriosis and fibroids. Oestrogen is a building hormone so if you have too much in relation to progesterone, you can get swollen, sore boobs, water retention, headaches, heavy periods, long periods, weight gain.
Photo credit Carli Jeen
The energetics of autumn
For so many women this can be a problematic time and may be the less glamorous phase of your cycle. You are likely to have a rising inclination to retreat; fighting this can make things worse. Things you may otherwise find mildly irritating can really grate or make you wild, and you may start reacting more forcefully. It’s easy to dismiss this as simply being sensitive or hormonal, and run the risk of being called ‘irrational’. Don’t get me started…
Sometime after you ovulate, you may notice a shift in how you feel. It can be dramatic if your Summer drops away quickly, or more subtle if your Summer stays with you for longer. Or, you may feel unceremoniously dumped in Autumn by feeling cranky, agitated, sad, tired – but don’t worry because as your progesterone, and to a lesser extent your oestrogen, start increasing, things should improve.
This is when charting your temperature comes into it’s own, because after a couple of cycles of doing this you start to identify the day you transition. This can vary by a day or two, if you’ve been stressed or not looking after yourself, but pinpointing the time you shift can potentially really improve how you feel about yourself in the run up to your period. You will be able to predict the wobbles and plan so you can handle them with more grace and dignity.
Signs that you’ve entered your Autumn phase
Your creative energy and flow may feel interrupted.
You feel yourself withdrawing and detaching.
Your energy may slump.
You become more sensitive to criticism – from yourself or others.
You may start to observe yourself critically, unable to see past assumed faults and areas to improve. This can get out of hand.
You notice the same nagging questions and thoughts emerge. (Pay close attention to these.)
You may stop responding and start reacting!
You’re more assertive about what’s important to you.
Your sex drive takes a nose dive, together with lubrication
Autumn super powers
Ideally, when in balance, this phase should feel gradual, enabling you to step back and assess, harnessing the shift to prioritise your own needs and wishes. You may not feel that this stage of your cycle is that helpful but if you know how to work with it, it can be.
Deep thought and focus - You shift from the open and outgoing energy of Spring and Summer, to the inward focus of Autumn and Winter – the perfect time to zero in on your priorities and be purposeful. Your energy will start to decline, so you need to use it well.
Reviewing/reflection - You may find that your ability to scrutinise and reconsider things is really enhanced now, so you can identify areas that need work and also see things with a fresh perspective.
Deciding - Your renewed clarity may help you make decisions about things you have been mulling over. You may be able to tap into your instinct more easily and learn to trust your instant response before you start thinking and reasoning your way away from it.
Editing and organisation - A little like weeding the garden, taking some time to examine, take stock and discard what isn’t working for you is well suited to this phase – whether it’s cleaning your fridge, going through your inbox, or addressing your relationships. Therefore, pay attention to whether certain things niggle at you from month to month; it may be something you need to attend to - just because it doesn’t bother you so much during the rest of the cycle doesn’t mean it is actually serving you.
Nesting - Because progesterone is rising and peaking, you can get a nesting feeling similar to how you feel when pregnant. You could think of it as nature encouraging you to put your things in order just in case, or your body getting you to slow down and look after yourself to increase your chances of conception.
Photo credit Priscilla du Preez
Autumn self-care
Your metabolism undergoes a subtle shift during your luteal phase, potentially making you hungrier. Sure, eat a little more carbohydrate (ideally the unprocessed kind), but protect against raging sugar cravings by eating a good source of protein and fat with each meal (and snack). Note - a deep craving for chocolate is a potential indication that you may need magnesium, so fill up on dark green leafy vegetables too. Some dark chocolate may help boost your mood - but make sure it is 75% and above.
Just to get the message across, promise me to have a good source of protein each meal, to keep your energy levels consistent and your blood sugar stable. Look for free-range, organic eggs, best quality (aka wild/grass-fed/organic) meat and poultry, wild fish and oily fish, tofu and tempeh, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds.
There is a real parallel between PMS and low blood sugar: fatigue, irritability, headaches, anxiety, palpitations, poor concentration, feeling moody and tearful. So as well as having protein with each meal, make sure you’re being smart about which carbohydrates you eat. Opt for brown, red or black rice, wholemeal bread full of nuts and seeds like a dense rye, sweet potato, squash, pumpkin, lentils (they contain carbs too) and root vegetables.
Healthy fats like oily fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil, olives and avocado, are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds that may help to reduce period pain, as well as supporting your energy, mood and blood sugar. What’s not to love?
With lower oestrogen levels, you may have lower serotonin (‘happy’ hormone), especially if your gut health is struggling, because the majority of serotonin is made there. This may lead to cravings because sugary foods can temporarily increase feelings of happiness. So in case you haven’t got the message - have protein at each meal to keep those blood sugar levels stable, especially if you’re eating more carbs to boost your mood!
Gut health is crucial for oestrogen balance. Once you have used oestrogen you need to clear it from your body, or it could lead to oestrogen dominance and symptoms including breast tenderness, heavy periods, bloating, PMS, fibroids, headaches and migraines, insomnia, anxiety plus breast and uterine cancer. So you need to eat enough fibre and drink enough water to enable you to have at least one satisfying and complete poo every day. If you aren’t going every day, this is a problem.
Hold back on the booze and caffeine - these can increase oestrogen! (But don’t go boozing if you suspect your oestrogen is low btw.) Alcohol can increase premenstrual anxiety, mood swings – and it robs you of the important REM sleep. Also, you may process caffeine a little more slowly in the second half of your cycle, so be mindful of how much you drink.
Sleep. You may find you fall asleep more easily now, so ride that shift and go to bed a bit earlier to stock up a bit on the more delicious and restorative sleep. This is especially relevant if you are prone to lighter sleep when you are about to come on your period. Sleep is crucial for balancing everything, including stress, so make it a priority.
Exercise. This is a great time to get moving! Maybe not so suited to higher intensity kinds, because your energy may be dropping, but those that require strength and stamina, like running, climbing, yoga, walking, cycling, dancing in your kitchen or swimming will help to boost your energy and get it flowing. Plus, exercise increases endorphins that make you feel good! Note - if you feel depleted after exercise, you’re doing too much and you need to step back. Also, be aware that there are studies showing that regular aerobic exercise reduces PMS symptoms, and that low exercise are associated with increased PMS.
Rest and pleasure is vital for protecting your energy, balancing stress and enabling you to produce progesterone unimpeded. Elevated cortisol (your stress hormone) lowers progesterone and increases oestrogen, which is disastrous for an easy, trouble-free period. So day dream on the sofa, have a nap, walk in nature, journal and try out some meditation - whatever you enjoy and helps you feel safe and calm.
Photo credit Brandy Kennedy
Autumn highlights
Get the most out of this luteal phase by
Honouring the phase you’re now in, don’t fight it.
Start saying ‘no’ and protecting your energy.
Leave some room for extra time to rest and enjoy yourself.
Observe when you have your energy peak in the day, and plan to do the more challenging activities then.
Make sure you have healthy food in your fridge and cupboards, and start doing some batch cooking ready for your Winter.
Don’t let niggles fester – work them through. Writing can help, as can playing some very loud music.
Harness your inner critic but don’t go overboard – please be kind to yourself. Speak to yourself as if you’re talking to a friend, not as a bully.