Menstrual cycle phases and how they affect your mood

Cycle guide

The 4 phases of the menstrual cycle

There are four menstrual cycle phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulation and luteal. Each one runs on a different hormone pattern, and most women notice their mood and energy shift along with it, usually dipping in the final luteal days before a period.

Cycle guide

The follicular phase: what happens and how it feels

The follicular phase is the first half of your menstrual cycle, starting on day one of your period and ending at ovulation. Estrogen rises through this phase, which is one reason energy, mood and focus often feel steadier than the week before your period. It typically lasts 10 to 16 days, though this varies by person and cycle.

Cycle guide

Luteal phase symptoms: what to expect

Luteal phase symptoms are the physical and emotional changes that build in the one to two weeks before your period, as estrogen and progesterone fall. Expect some mix of bloating, breast tenderness, headaches, fatigue, and mood changes, usually peaking in the final few days before bleeding and easing soon after it starts.

Cycle basics

When do you ovulate before your period?

Yes, you ovulate before your period, typically 12 to 16 days before your next one starts. Ovulation falls roughly in the middle of your cycle, not exactly on day 14, and PMS builds in the weeks after it, not before. The exact day shifts with your cycle length, so there's no single day that fits everyone.

Cycle basics

Menstrual cycle hormones, phase by phase

Four hormones run your cycle: FSH, LH, estrogen and progesterone, rising and falling roughly every 21 to 35 days. Estrogen peaks just before ovulation; progesterone peaks about a week before your period. Both drop sharply right before bleeding starts, which can shift mood in the days before.

Cycle and mood

How your menstrual cycle affects your mood

Your mood shifts across the menstrual cycle because estrogen and progesterone rise and fall by phase, and your brain's stress and emotion circuits respond to that change. Research on which phase feels best or worst is mixed, though stress reactivity tends to run higher in the luteal phase before your period. Tracking your own mood for two or three cycles shows your real pattern.