Beyond the 24-Hour Cycle

Tapping Into the Power of Your Hormonal Rhythm

We've all heard of the 24-hour circadian rhythm -an internal clock that regulates your sleep, energy, hormones and so much more. Most of us have probably structured our lives around it, measuring our success in 24-hour increments of productivity, discipline, and routine. But women don't just run on a 24-hour cycle.  For women a deeper biological rhythm is at work — your hormonal rhythm —  a 28-day cycle influencing your energy, creativity, focus, and emotions. Aligning with this lesser-known rhythm can help you break free from burnout, unlock your potential and work with your biology, not against it.

We live in a world built for men - a world that mirrors the males 24-hour hormonal cycle- and just like men, women are expected to show up with same energy, focus and productivity day after day, week after week. Unfortunately when women try to operate in this manner they end up burned out, overwhelmed, and deeply unsatisfied. As women we need to look beyond the 24-hour cycle and tap into our 28-day hormonal rhythm. Instead of pushing yourself to be the same every day, give yourself the freedom to honor who you are each day in accordance with your shifting hormones. That means giving yourselves permission to rest, reflect, push and create - at the right times. 

For most of my life, I lived in that 24-hour world. I pushed myself to work out daily, stay constantly productive, and maintain consistent energy. And when fell short, I found myself exhausted, overwhelmed and defeated. Even as a nurse, I wasn't taught what those hormonal shifts truly meant or how to use them to my advantage. It wasn't until I was in my 30's that I began to understand my hormonal rhythm - and everything shifted. Understanding this beautiful cycle allowed me to reframe how I live. I finally gave myself grace to be different week to week - to honor and embrace the science behind how I was feeling instead of fighting against it. Now I plan my life around my hormonal rhythm. I've learned to bio hack my schedule to align with my body's natural strengths. I have completely changed how i prioritize my energy, time and self-care. 

Let's look at what the hormonal rhythm is and how you can use it to unlock your full potential.  A womans hormonal clock connects to her monthly menstrual cycle. On average it lasts about 28 days and has 4 phases: follicular, ovulatory, luteal and menstrual. During each phase it is important to understand how our hormones are affecting our mind and body. Alisa Vitti explains these cycles and corresponding strengths during each phase in her book "In the FLO: Unlock Your Hormonal Advantage and Revolutionize Your Life" 

1. Follicular Phase (7-10 days) termed the 'Prepare Phase'. This phase begins day 1 after bleeding ends. Your hormones are all at low levels, resetting the body for the month. Your brain chemistry is optimal for trying new things. Creativity and energy are high and you're clear-headed so is a perfect time to set new intentions for the month and start planning a new project. Be curious, explore, brainstorm, get inspired and learn something new.  You’ll have increased energy, burn fat more easily, and gain more lean muscle during this phase. You can increase your intensity, so strength training, and high intensity training are great for this phase.

   
   

2. Ovulatory Phase (3-4 days) termed 'Open Up Phase'.  Estrogen and the luteinizing hormone levels increase which leads to egg release from the ovaries. Testosterone levels also increase causing increased desire. During this phase women are more social, communicative, outgoing and magnetic! Its a great time to network, collaborate, pitch ideas, negotiate, connect, socialize, talk about what you want and have important conversations. You'll still have increased energy, plus your testosterone is higher, so high intensity work-outs are great. Go all out!

   
   

3. Luteal Phase (10-14 days) termed the 'Work Phase'.  After hormones peak, they return to their lowest before menstruation. Progesterone rises and then falls if the egg isn't fertilized. Progesterone is the calming hormone as it promotes relaxation, improves sleep, and enhances moods. You'll be more introspective, and focusing and concentrating are easier.  It's a great time to complete projects and tasks and tie up loose ends that you started in the follicular phase. Get organized and do your deep work. You may still have more energy during the first half of this phase to spend time with others but the second half you should focus on self-care. You may be more sensitive, and irritation can occur easily in this phase so be sure to set firm boundaries to avoid this.   PMS can occur in this phase and results from too much estrogen in relation to progesterone. You may still have energy during the first half of this phase to do more intense workouts but you should scale it back during the second half and focus on walking, Pilates or strength training. Intense exercise should be avoided during the end of this phase as it causes cortisol- the stress hormone - to increase leading to fat storage and muscle wasting. 

   
   

4. Menstrual Phase (3-7 days) termed the 'Rest Phase'. This is the stage when your period begins. Hormones drop to their lowest levels, this shift creates the best communication between your left analytical side and your right feeling side, so you are able to put how you feel together with what you know about a situation to determine the best course of action.  It's best to rest and reflect how your month went either through analysis or journaling. Trust your instincts, taking note of what you need to let go of and what you need for the next month. keep your workouts mild as your energy will be at its lowest at the beginning of your period. walking, yoga and napping are great options.