Do you ever wake up and feel BLAH? Yesterday, you felt awesome, stable, and confident, and then you wake up today and you feel off balance, scattered, anxious, or sensitive. It could be menstrual cycle related! Keep reading below to find out about Transition Days and how to care for yourself when you're feeling a little Blah.
Your menstrual cycle comprises four unique phases, each holding spiritual and physical energy, emotions, and a lens through which you view the world (thanks to your hormones!). When you move from one phase to the next, you can experience a SHIFT or a WOBBLE that can throw you for a loop if you aren’t prepared! We will talk about these transitions and how you can navigate them with self-compassion, support, and ease.
Since there are four unique phases of the menstrual cycle (Menstrual, Follicular, Ovulatory, and Luteal), there are also four transition days between each cycle. Even if you aren’t currently tracking your entire menstrual cycle, you probably can recall one of the most noticeable transitions from Luteal Phase to Menstrual Phase… a transition better known as PMS or pre-menstrual syndrome. This time is often met with physical and emotional challenges, and yep, it can be pretty rotten at times.
A good analogy I like to use to explain transitions is learning how to drive a stick shift (or motorcycle like me!). There are lots of moving parts, and getting the hang of working different parts of your body in a fluid motion is tough at first. Letting off the gas, pushing in the clutch, finding the correct gear, and letting go of the clutch while simultaneously applying gas at just the right ratio can be challenging… all while trying to steer and turn at the same time. At first, your shifting is very clunky, jolty, with lots of body movement back and forth. Eventually, with practice and patience, you learn how to shift more smoothly, and it becomes second nature.
The same goes for these cyclical shifts… If you’ve not practiced making these transitions because you just came off birth control or you’ve never supported yourself through them, they are going to kick your butt and leave you feeling like crazy pants, overwhelmed, sensitive, and depleted. Once you’ve spent some time working with the shifting energies instead of fighting against them, you’ll find you can navigate them with more ease, compassion, and love.
Kori’s PMS Story
For most of my period life, I experienced terrible PMS during those last couple of days before my bleed. Not only would the cramps and backaches be debilitating on some cycles, but the emotional roller coaster would throw me for a loop faster than you can say Universal Studios! Couple that with the uncertainty of WHEN my cycle would arrive due to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), it felt like an onslaught of hatred from my body towards me. It wasn’t until I started cycle tracking and building a healthy relationship with my cycle about 3 years ago that things started to change for me in the PMS department.
It turns out, all those mood swings, dips in energy, and cramps were MESSAGES from my body… albeit, very loud ones. Once I changed my perspective towards my cycle and actually got to know her and my body’s needs, I started to understand what my body had been telling me for so many years: She loved me, but she needed my love, support, and care. I know this may be hard to believe from where you’re sitting right now, especially if you have really tough cycles. I hear you, I see you, I feel you, Sister. 💓 I invite you to bring an open mind to your cycle, and you may find that there is a better way to move through life as a Cyclical Being.
*Note: If you are on hormonal birth control (HBC), these transitions may not be noticeable or even occur for you. That’s because the synthetic hormones are suppressing the natural production of the hormones that drive your menstrual cycle, leading to the shifts/transitions. You have the same level of hormones day in and day out… so you won’t likely experience the three first transitions, but you may feel the one just before your withdrawal bleed. I encourage you to keep track of your energy throughout your pill pack to see if any patterns emerge, that way you can support yourself in the best ways possible.
Breaking Down the Four Transitions
Let’s talk about the four different transitions and why they are challenging. Below, I'll discuss each Shift Day, their hormonal influences (what I call the Shift Effect), and challenges to those specific shifts.
Shift from 1st to 2nd Gear: Menstrual Phase to Follicular Phase
This occurs around days 5-8 in your cycle, depending on how long you bleed and what this transition feels like in your body. Much like shifting from 1st to 2nd, it can be the most jolting upward shift, so pay attention when this shift happens for you.
The Shift Effect: Estrogen is starting to rise in your body after being low during your late luteal and menstrual phase. Energy is starting to rise but is still low in the body compared to your mid-cycle.
Shift Challenges: You can feel a sensation like you have one foot wanting to emerge into the world, and the other wanting to stay in your Menstrual Hidey Hole. I lovingly call this transition “Baby Bunny Day,” because I feel like a tiny vulnerable bunny at the beginning of spring. Some women, myself included, feel sensitive to words, sounds, or situations, tentative to speak up, in need of soft physical touches, feel timid but want to reengage with people, and overwhelmed by the loud bright world around them.
Shift from 4th to 5th Gear: Late Follicular Phase to Ovulatory Phase
This occurs around 3-5 days before ovulation and can be different from cycle to cycle, person to person (after about 35, your ovulatory phase begins to shorten, so don't be surprised if this day shifts as you get older). It's like you are cruising onto top gear, really gaining momentum, and the shift allows you to get to highway speed as long as you don't forget to push in the clutch!
The Shift Effect: Estrogen and its corresponding hormone FSH have chosen a primary follicle to grow this cycle, and they both take an upswing in production. This is when your body shows fertile signs like increased clear cervical mucus and libido.
Shift Challenges: You can feel your body prepping for the Main Event, so it really starts to pick up speed. More energy, more desire for sex, and a stronger desire to be social. In my experience, this transition is a little more difficult for me to discern while I’m in it… I can more easily see it once I have already ovulated. This transition can leave me feeling a little like burnt-up grass on a hot August day, especially if I spent a long time in my Follicular Phase (a common occurrence with PCOS). While the increased energy can sound awesome, it can be challenging for those who are neurodivergent, have longer cycles, or don’t have a healthy sexual outlet (with yourself or a partner). Feelings of frustration, overwhelm, restlessness, and anxiety can amp up during this time.
Shift from 5th Gear to 2nd Gear as you turn a corner: Ovulatory Phase to Early Luteal Phase
This occurs about 24-48 hours after ovulation, again, depending on your cycle and when you feel the shift. It's much like making a turn off a 2 lane highway going 60mph... you go from top gear to 2nd in the turn, and if you miss the gear or don't slow down, you can go careening off the road into the ditch.
The Shift Effect: Estrogen, FSH, and LH all take a nosedive to reset for the next major phase of the cycle… preparing the uterus for implantation. From this point on, Progesterone will be the main hormone rising in this phase.
Shift Challenges: This transition can be a doosie for people. One minute, you’re on top of the world, feeling loving, sexy, confident, and nurturing, then BAM! Someone pulls the carpet right from under you and you lose your steam. I call this transition my “Tilt-a-Whirl” Day, because I feel like I just got off that carnival ride and I can’t quite find my footing. Energy levels dip, irritation arises, and your Inner Critic pops her head in and lets you know she’ll be visiting sometime in the next week or two. Since the world praises the outgoing, mothering woman in her Ovulatory phase, it feels like this transition can bring up all the negative thoughts and anxieties about us.
Shift from 3rd Gear to 1st Gear while coming to a stop: Late Luteal Phase to Menstrual Phase
This occurs the last 1-3 days before your bleed and can be extremely challenging if you aren't prepared for it. This Shift is much like coming to a stoplight... you can either downshift through the gears or hold in the clutch the whole time. Either way, you have to be mindful or you'll kill the engine before you get to the light.
The Shift Effect: Progesterone and Estrogen take their final drop in this current cycle, which prompts your uterus to shed its endometrial lining, ushering in your next cycle. All the hormones drop to their lowest levels in your cycle.
Shift Challenges: As we talked about earlier, this is the transition that most of us are familiar with. We can experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including fatigue, cramps, irritation, anxiety, depression, mood swings, a desire for isolation, and a lack of motivation for daily activities. This is my “Cat-to-Tiger” transition, and what starts as a gentle meow from my Inner Self and Body to slow the fuck down… can suddenly turn into a 500-pound Tiger roaring in my face demanding that I stop what I’m doing and feed it or it's going to tear up my whole damn house. If I don’t pick up on those calls from my body and slow down all my doings, then it can spell disaster for the rest of my cycle and the beginning of the next one.
Tips for Managing Your Shifts
Here are my top 5 tips for navigating through these challenging transition points in your cycle. Try them out and let me know in the comments which works best for you!
Track your entire cycle. I cannot emphasize this point enough, and it’s why it’s number one on my Shift Tips List. Awareness is the first step to making positive changes in your life, and you can’t support yourself in the way you need if you don’t know what’s going on throughout your entire cycle. My self-care has leveled up a hundred-fold since using Cycles Journal. Not only do I know where I am in my cycle, but through journaling for 10 minutes a day, I have my unique Kori Map that tells me when I need more support. Serious game changer for me, and I wish I had started this journal when I was 12 at Menarche. I guarantee you, that when my daughter goes through her Initiation, she will be receiving her own Cycles Journal.
Mark on your calendar when your Shift Days are expected, even if you are estimating. This way, you can skip unnecessary appointments or obligations and give yourself space to take care of yourself on those days.
Let your household know when you are Shifting. By letting those I love know that I need a little extra support those days, it allows them to show up for me with love and understanding. Shift Days aren’t an excuse to be an asshole, but it does help when everyone knows what’s up. One time, when I shared with Dan that I was on Baby Bunny Day and feeling sensitive, he said, “Aww, I love cuddling Baby Bunnies.” And that was EXACTLY what I needed that day.
Figure out what kind of self-care you need on Shift Days. Do you need more space? More hugs? More journal time? Fewer household activities? Less noise? Fewer outings? More friend time? More movement? More nature? Less movement? Take the time to tune into your body and find out what she is asking for in these moments of wobble.
Follow through on that self-care. It’s great to know what you need, but if you don’t set some boundaries with yourself and others around that support, then these transitions will continue to kick your ass. You are worthy of your own support and love, and sometimes that means you need to protect your self-care regimen with all the love and ferocity of Kali-Ma.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed today’s post. It was a fantastic reminder for me, as I transition into Luteal Phase today. Even though I’ve been Cycle Mapping for a couple of years, I STILL forget sometimes that I need extra love and compassion on my Shift Days. Remember to be gentle with yourself, wherever you are on your Cyclical Living journey. If you need more support on how to care for yourself during your late Luteal Phase, make sure to check out my free Ultimate PMS Guide for your Whole Being found on my homepage.
And don't you ever forget Sister,
You are SO worthy of your own love and devotion.
Much Love,
💋Kori Rae
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