cycle
Four different phases: how the period changes our personality
The quiet one, the curious one, the queen and the critic: does that sound familiar to you?
© Adene Sanchez / Getty Images
Ovulation, PMS and Periods: Each month, our hormones wreak havoc in our bodies and minds. Sometimes we feel irresistible, sometimes obnoxious. We adopt these four personalities every month.
This text first appeared here brigitte.de.
Up, down, up and down – the hormones in our body play wild games with us. Not only do they ensure that we have the chance to conceive every month if we want to, but they also ensure that we regularly ask ourselves what is really going on with us. Yesterday I was in a good mood and had the energy to clear an entire forest, today it was more of a flash in the pan and hardly the energy to get out of bed. Of course, the hormones are the reason for this, but they are not only responsible for keeping things running smoothly down below, they influence our mood, thoughts, feelings and needs. They are the engine of our personalities. And there are four of them.
1. The calm one
Our cycle starts with menstruation. The phase of the month when we should recover, a regeneration time for the body and mind. The reset button in the cycle. It’s a cleansing and healing phase of the cycle – everything has to come out. We need rest and give our emotions more space than the rational voice in our heads. Instead of big action, we prefer to lie on the sofa, watch one series after the other, read a book and wear joggers instead of jeans. Menstruation is our mode of reflection, looking at the past and maybe even developing new goals and ideas.
2. The curious
After the 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 wakes up from hibernation. Spring feelings are announced. We blossom, 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 balance work 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 is estrogen – the hormonal sun is at its zenith. Summer! We feel completely comfortable, sexy and desirable. Ladies, we are beaming and want to have sex. Not only do we notice that we feel good all round, but also everyone else. A perfect time to strut your stuff into salary talks or job interviews with your head held high. Now we have the power to convince with our ideas and suggestions. Just like queens do.
4. The critic
As is well known, after summer comes autumn and it gets darker again. Ovulation is a thing of the past and massive amounts of progesterone are produced 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 speed of metabolism increases, which is why we prefer something all the time want to feed. At the same time, progesterone makes us calmer and fall asleep faster. Shutting down is the order of the day. The perfect phase for quiet routines, tidying up, decluttering, sleeping, eating, finishing projects, building dens. At the same time, our inner critic also feels particularly comfortable in this phase. We analyze, listen inside, question. The luteal phase can be pretty nasty, but it can also be really good and important. It makes us more empathetic and lets us tackle problems that we 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 exhausting. 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 body, 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 got you covered.