| period |

In my MSc investigating the impacts of exercise on vascular function throughout the menstrual cycle, I had so many fantastic conversations with women about their periods. While there was a HUGE spectrum of awareness around menstrual cycles and reproductive health, the one thing that was consistent across all the women I interviewed was a genuine interest in knowing more about their bodies and their cycles.

Women spend a significant portion of their reproductive years either HAVING periods, or experiencing the “befores” and ”afters“. Let’s face it, we are either experiencing a period or its impacts for about half of every month. And many of us, myself include, struggle to differentiate between what is ‘period pain/discomfort/mood’ and simply just having a rough go of it.

This template is part personal interest, part professional passion. A hat tip to women getting to know their bodies more and dedicating a few moments of each day to reflect on the experience they're having in and around their periods. Tracking anything in life can be powerful, but developing a better understanding of your own period patterns can make a world of difference for how you treat yourself, care for yourself and how you plan. Maybe Day 3 is simply not the day to plan anything major, or wear anything white. Maybe you are consistently agitated on Day 1 and can see how it impacts your interpersonal relationships.

If you aren't already tracking your period, give it a go with this template or any of the fantastic apps that already exist and see what you can learn about yourself!