Cycles in the time of Covid-19
I am writing to you from day 44 of my cycle, and while I’m no stranger to long and irregular cycles, the current global crisis has most definitely had an impact on my cycle! Yes - even FAM instructors experience irregularities and funky charts from time to time!
I wanted to talk a little bit about the impact of stress on our menstrual cycles and how we can see this manifest in our charts. Very few of us are immune to the collective stress and anxiety that is present right now, and if you are experiencing abnormal patterns in your cycle right now, you’re not alone.
The menstrual cycle can be broken up into two parts. The first half of the cycle, the follicular phase, is from the first day of your bleed all the way up until ovulation. The follicular phase varies in length, and can be impacted by many factors. On a GOOD day, the follicular phase is unpredictable, and in the current crisis we’re in, you may see even more erratic follicular phase patterns.
The entire cycle is centered around ovulation. Once ovulation does happen, the length of time between ovulation and your next period will be about the same each cycle. This second half of the cycle is called the luteal phase, and it is generally static. Once ovulation does take place, it sets a domino effect into place and triggers your next bleed.
So, you may feel like you’re waiting for a late period, but you’re actually experiencing delayed ovulation.
What many people are experiencing right now is delayed ovulation. If you track your ovulation with basal body temperature or cervical mucus, you may be very aware of this fact. If you don’t track ovulation, you may only notice it in the form of a “late” period (which we know now isn’t really isn’t a late period after all!).
Why does ovulation get pushed back, or delayed, when we’re under stress?
Think about it this way. Biologically, being pregnant takes a lot of our body’s energy. Back in cave-woman times, if we were under threat, getting pregnant and caring for a vulnerable being would not be very ideal to our survival. When we feel under threat, our body doesn’t prioritize ovulation. It becomes the lowest priority on our body’s to-do list. That’s when we begin to see ovulation being delayed.
Our cycle is coordinated by a feedback loop between our hypothalamus, pituitary gland and the adrenal glands, communicating with the main hormones that facilitate ovulation. When we are under stress, our HPA axis is in over-activation. Over time, our body is not able to maintain clear communication between the systems that regulate our hormones. Additionally, cortisol is a hormone that is produced when we are under stress. Over-production of cortisol impedes the ability of our hippocampus to calm the HPA axis, thus impeding the production of hormones necessary for ovulation.
Stress can be acute, such as normal day-to-day stressors, such as being late for work or writing a high-stakes exam. Stress can also be chronic and long-term. The collective energy right now is one of survival, anxiety and fear. Whether we know it or not, and especially if we are more sensitive, our body will most definitely pick up on this.
We may see ovulation be delayed, which will give us an especially long cycle. Another possibility is that our body may attempt to ovulate several times. This means a ramp-up of estrogen, giving us peak type or ES mucus, without an egg being released. This can happen several times throughout a cycle - we may think we are about to ovulate but don’t see a temperature shift.
Another potential outcome is that we don’t ovulate at all. This is called an anovulatory cycle. If we are experiencing one of these fun cycles, the bleed we eventually have is called a “breakthrough bleed.” It may be lighter, or shorter than normal. It can also, for some people, look exactly the same as a regular period.
Other potential stress impacts
Delayed ovulation is not the only thing that I am seeing right now in people’s Covid charts. You may not be experiencing delayed ovulation, but other stress impacts on the cycle. These are things that I’m not just seeing during the current crisis, but in other times when people are under stress.
Heavier, longer periods and more cramping
Lower luteal phase temperatures
Increased symptoms of PMS
And sometimes, earlier ovulation rather than delayed ovulation
The reality is that our body will let us know when something is “off.” These symptoms are like signs from your body to you saying “hey! I’m going through a lot right now!” Your hormones are an intricate system that interact with most systems in your body. If one thing is out of whack, chances are you will see that in your cycle.
So, what can you do?
Delayed ovulation can be really frustrating. As someone who uses FAM for birth control, it means that confirming ovulation and going UP can take longer. It’s important to give yourself grace, and remember that your body is working especially hard right now. We may not be able to escape the constant stress that is around us. This means that your self-care practices are incredibly important right now. This includes doing things that let your body know it is safe to ovulate and by regulating your nervous system.
So much is beyond our control right now. I know that for many, very basic resources are threatened - and that can be so scary. If that is you, my heart goes out to you.
What we can do is focus on the things we can control, and try to stay in the day-to-day. I require constant reminders that this won’t last forever, and we will eventually go back to life as normal. But until then, take gentle care of yourself, and be patient if you’re seeing stress manifest in your cycle. Remember that your body is doing the best it can!
Taking extra good care of your mental health, especially right now, is important. However that looks for you, please prioritize it!
Basic hormone health includes: eating regular, nourishing, filling meals; sleeping; doing things you enjoy; feeling supported in your life; and filling your cup with exercise and time outside. As much as you can, nourishing your entire body and wellbeing will support your hormones.
What about supplements?
One of the questions I’ve been getting is around whether supplements will help with delayed ovulation. The answer isn’t simple. It really depends on whether your cycles are impacted just by the current stress of the crisis, or whether it’s a chronic thing that has been going on for a while. You may benefit from herbs or supplements, such as adaptogens, that help your body be more resilient to stress, however it isn’t a one-size-fits-all.
Many herbalists and naturopaths, and other alternative health practitioners are offering remote sessions right now. It may be helpful to book a session with the practitioner of your choice to advise you on what herbs and supplements may be helpful.
Staying sane during unpredictable cycles
If you’re someone who tries to live within the phases of your cycle, something that can become incredibly difficult, and something I’ve experienced first hand, is that it becomes really frustrating when our cycles don’t follow the regular pattern of the menstrual cycle phases.
Click here to access a free, four week email series on the phases of the cycle.
If ovulation is being delayed, we are experiencing a very long and drawn-out pre ovulatory phase (or the sprout phase of the cycle). What I notice is that even if I don’t ovulate, I will transition into the next phase of the cycle, to continue the movement of energy and creativity of my cycle. I will also rely more on my own emotional and physical state from day-to-day as a guide, rather than how I am “supposed” to feel in any given phase (this is true for living with your cycle anytime!).
Something else that I find helpful when experiencing cycles like this is to align with the phases of the moon. The energy of the full moon aligns with the energy of the ovulatory or the bloom phase of the cycle, and the new moon aligns with the menstrual or the seed phase of the cycle. You may want to look up where the moon is and begin to pay attention to how your energy levels align with the phases of the moon.