Should You Track Your Cycle?
Tracking your menstrual cycle can be useful, and not just if you’re trying to become pregnant. Deciding whether or not you should track your cycle is personal and completely up to you. However, here are four benefits of tracking your cycle:
BENEFITS WHEN YOU TRACK YOUR CYCLE:
Health Reasons…
Your menstrual cycle can tell you a ton about your overall health. If you’re not tracking your cycle, you may miss the little nuances between cycles. You may not notice your cycle this month was 28 days, last month was 35, and the month before that was 21. You may not notice if you missed a period or two. You may not spot the difference between any discharge you’re experiencing. Many of these details are important, especially for your doctor, and can help pinpoint issues. Tracking your cycle can even help you spot a potential problem before it gets worse.
Fewer Surprises…
Once I began tracking my cycle the “surprise” visits became fewer. While your cycle may not be exact every single month, once you begin tracking your cycle you have a good understanding of when it will appear, and can prepare yourself. I typically prepare by stocking up on chocolate and popcorn. Yum!
Better Understanding…
Tracking your cycle can help you gain a better understanding of your moods, aches, pains, etc and may help significantly in narrowing down the cause of abdominal aches and pains, as well as mood swings. If one day you find you’re a bit grumpier than usual, taking a look at your cycle tracking calendar can help you narrow down where you are on your cycle and if your period is approaching. If you have cramps or are sore, take a look at your calendar. Tracking your cycle provides you with an overall better understanding of your body.
Pregnancy…
Of course, we couldn’t leave pregnancy off the list. If you’re trying to become pregnant, tracking your cycle is a big part of the process. Becoming familiar with when you’re ovulating and when the ideal moment of conception is easier to notice when you’re tracking your cycle.
HOW DO YOU TRACK YOUR CYCLE?
Fortunately, tracking your cycle is pretty easy. You can use a planner, agenda, monthly calendar, app, etc. to track your moods and physical changes.
A good time to begin tracking is at the start of your next period, but you can start before then if you’d like.
WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD I TRACK?
You can track any and all details you’d like – tracking your cycle is very personal and can be customized based on the information you want to learn. Some ideas of what you can track include:
- Your moods – How do you feel today?
- Your sleep – How well did you sleep last night?
- Your body – Are you experiencing any aches or pains?
- Your temperature – What is your body temperature?
- Your energy – Are you active and alert, or a bit sluggish?
- Your discharge – Are you experiencing discharge or spotting?
Do you track your cycle? Do you have any tips or techniques to share? Let us know in the comments below or join the discussion on Facebook!
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