Tracking your menstrual cycle

For years, I saw my period as just an inconvenience—something to tolerate, manage, or ignore. But when I began tracking my menstrual cycle, everything changed.

Your cycle is more than just bleeding once a month. It’s a fifth vital sign—a window into your hormonal health, stress, metabolism, thyroid, mood, fertility, and more. Every phase holds unique shifts in energy, cravings, focus, and needs. When you start paying attention, you begin to see just how wise and intelligent your body truly is.

Cycle tracking isn’t just for those trying to conceive or avoid pregnancy. It’s for every woman who wants to understand her body, reclaim her health, and live in alignment with her natural rhythms.

Learning to chart your cycle is like learning a new language—the language of you. The more curious you are, the more empowered you become. You start making more informed decisions, noticing subtle cues, and building a deeper connection with yourself.

Whether you use an app, pen and paper, or wearable tech, tracking your cycle invites awareness, intention, and compassion into your health journey.

So if you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body or confused by your symptoms, start here. Begin by observing. Be curious, not critical. This is your body’s way of communicating with you—and she’s always speaking.

Let’s bring cycle awareness back into our everyday lives.

What to track?

Track the start and end dates of your period, the total days of your cycle, flow intensity, symptoms (like cramps, mood changes, or fatigue), cervical mucus consistency, basal body temperature, and ovulation signs. This helps you understand your cycle phases, spot patterns, and support hormonal health, fertility, or symptom management with greater insight and accuracy.

Paper tracking.

Using paper or a journal to track your menstrual cycle lets you record daily notes on flow, mood, symptoms, energy, and other changes. This creates a personalised log to identify patterns, support hormone health, and align lifestyle choices with your cycle—offering a mindful, low-tech way to stay connected to your body.

Chart tracking.

Paper charting involves using a printed chart or template to track cycle details like period dates, flow, cervical mucus, temperature, and symptoms. It offers a clear visual overview of patterns across cycles, helping with fertility awareness, symptom management, and hormonal insights.

Free apps.

Free phone apps make menstrual cycle tracking easy and accessible. Users can log period dates, symptoms, moods, ovulation, and more with daily prompts. Many apps offer predictions, reminders, and visual charts, helping you spot patterns, manage symptoms, and better understand your hormonal health.