How Your Brain Changes During Your Menstrual Cycle

Few people feel the same all the time. But what's normal? What's part of it? Many women are a completely different version of themselves for a quarter of the month – but this is still not sufficiently linked to the hormonal fluctuations of your menstrual cycle. Because yes, our moods depend on our environment, activities, stress levels, and… your cycle.

Many women struggle with negative feelings they can't place—everything's going well, isn't it? Why do I feel this way? May has been designated Mental Health Awareness Month , and on May 28th we celebrate World Menstrual Health Day . These two topics go hand in hand, so we think it's important to discuss how your mental health can change throughout your menstrual cycle.

From superwoman to sobbing on the couch

Have you ever noticed that sometimes you feel completely lost, and that even simple, everyday tasks have become complicated? But at other times, you feel like you could be negotiating a promotion while cooking a three-course meal for your family or friends?

It's not you, and you're not being dramatic. We understand you might be disappointed with yourself when you're feeling down again. But these natural changes in your body and brain could be due to the hormonal fluctuations you experience each month.

In this blog, we'll explain why this happens and how to deal with it. Because if you understand how your body and cycle work, you can be gentler with yourself and feel good every day of the month.

I, you, and many other women feel this way…

Before we delve deeper, we'd like to present some statistics. Last year, Flemish research agency Ivox conducted extensive research on women and their cycles, commissioned by Guud Woman. This revealed:

• Nine out of ten women experience menstrual complaints. Almost half of these women experience mood swings.
• A whopping 2 out of 3 women believe it's part of being a woman . And that's not entirely surprising. 31% of women are told by their doctors that symptoms are simply part of life and they have to learn to live with them.
• Many women are left in the dark. Should I accept my symptoms or not? Surely this can't be right? But many feel unheard by their doctor, and doubts leave more than a quarter of women unsure who to turn to .

We're not the only ones to have researched this. Other studies, such as the one conducted by Isala, also show these high figures:

• Research by Isala (scientific project at the University of Antwerp) shows that no less than 89% sometimes or always experience pain during their monthly bleeding.

• The impact of menstruation on women's performance is often swept under the rug and severely underestimated. Yet, research shows that many women's work or study performance is affected by their symptoms.
• A study in the Netherlands involving over 40,000 women showed that 4 out of 10 women are unable to perform their daily activities during their period. And a staggering 77% experience psychological complaints and fatigue.

…yet only 20% of these women take sick leave.

What do you feel then? Negative feelings you can have during your cycle

If you've been paying close attention to your body and cycle, you may have noticed how your mental health changes throughout the month. For example, you might find that you concentrate better and feel more creative during the follicular phase of your cycle, roughly the first two weeks.

Negative feelings are most common during the premenstrual and menstrual phases, but complaints such as brain fog, lack of concentration, confusion, difficulty making choices, stress, worrying, mood swings, bad mood, irritability, anxiety and depressive feelings also often occur during this period.

These psychological complaints are often considered PMS. Unfortunately, PMS remains understudied, and PMS symptoms are often not understood or recognized by healthcare providers.

In addition, an estimated 3 to 8% of the menstruating population suffers from Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), which causes them to suffer from, among other things, severe depression one or two weeks before their period.

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

Research from Ghent University shows that stress, worry, persistent negative moods and anxiety are generally higher in people with PMS and PMDD, and worsen during the premenstrual phase.

If you suffer from PMS every month, it naturally causes stress. " This makes it difficult to say whether PMS has a stronger effect on people who suffer more from stress or worry, or whether PMS actually leads to more stress and worry," explains Mitchel Kappen in his article on Stress and PMS .

He continues: “ What it does make clear is that PMS and the menstrual cycle deserve more attention when we talk about someone's psychological state ,”

Stress sensitivity could make you more sensitive to hormonal changes. This means that

Increased sensitivity to stress leads to → Increased sensitivity to hormonal changes → And that in turn leads to more PMS complaints.

It is a vicious circle that is difficult to escape.

It has therefore been suggested that learning to deal with stress (for example through therapy) could possibly reduce PMS symptoms.

However, the link between stress and worry in relation to PMS symptoms remains scarce. The GHEP Lab at Ghent University is conducting a follow-up study to investigate the interaction between hormonal fluctuations and thoughts and emotions in PMS symptoms.

How exactly does this happen? How your hormones and gut may influence your brain.

It's clear that a healthy brain and healthy hormone balance go hand in hand. There are hormones in your blood, and your brain also produces hormones.

→ If there's an imbalance, it affects your brain. → And if your brain isn't healthy, it can also affect your hormone levels.

We just said it: it's a circle.

The influence of your hormones

How all this works exactly isn't entirely clear, but after ovulation, your estrogen and progesterone levels drop. These rising and falling hormone levels likely influence brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters. Examples of neurotransmitters include serotonin and dopamine, also known as feel-good hormones. These hormones influence your mood, sleep, and motivation. Not everyone experiences these symptoms, but they are common.

If you have little serotonin or dopamine, this can cause symptoms such as:

• Sadness
• Fear
• Irritability
• Depression
• Sleep problems
• Cravings

Later in your menstrual cycle, when estrogen and progesterone levels increase again, most women find that these symptoms disappear.

The influence of your intestines on your mood

Furthermore, your digestive system and your brain are connected: the bacteria in your intestines communicate with your brain. This is called the Gut-Brain Axis. But what exactly is the effect of your microbiome on your brain? What are they talking about?

Little is known about this yet, but it has attracted researchers' interest. There are many indications that your microbiome plays a significant role in all sorts of important processes. For example, a link has already been found between certain gut bacteria and feelings of depression , and research is underway into its effect on neuropsychiatric disorders (mental health problems caused by or associated with brain disorders), such as autism and schizophrenia.

And what about the influence of your vaginal microbiome?

And we wouldn't be Guud if we didn't also consider whether the vaginal microbiome plays a role. There's a large, ongoing Flemish study by Isala on what the vaginal microbiome (all the bacteria in your vagina) means for your health.

They discovered that the unique composition of the microbiome and the precise ratio of different bacteria can vary significantly. They discovered that these depend on the phase of your cycle, your diet, whether or not you're taking hormonal contraception, and much more.

Your age, use of menstrual products, sexual activity and whether or not you have children also have a major influence on your microbiome.

Vaginal substances also produce proteins, vitamins, and natural products. They combat pathogens and promote health. So think of your vagina as a kind of chemical factory!

And does the contraceptive pill affect your mood?

First of all, we want to say that the pill is an incredible invention. Thanks to it, women's lives have been radically transformed in terms of education, careers, and family planning.

However, most women are told the pill has few or no side effects, but that's not true. The pill produces artificial hormones that stop your body from ovulating.

Research shows quite clearly that the birth control pill does affect how your brain functions, so it's important to understand that this isn't an urban legend.

These hormones influence the activity of billions of cells in the body, many of which are located in the brain. These influence factors such as your choice of partner, libido, stress, hunger, attraction, aggression, mood, and more. The pill can, therefore, transform you into a different version of yourself.

While the pill's effect on every woman is different, some women may experience a muted cortisol spike in response to stress. This may sound beneficial, but it can negatively impact your ability to learn, remember things, and feel good.

And this is just one of the ways the pill can change your brain. For more information on this topic, we recommend Sarah E. Hill's book, " Your Brain on the Pill ." And if you'd like to learn more about the pill's side effects, read our blog post, "The Side Effects of Contraception ."

Here's how to promote a healthy brain

The fact that only 20% of women call in sick when they're truly unable to perform is due to the stigma surrounding menstrual problems. We're often told we're making a fuss. And if it's really bad, just grit your teeth. After all, it's only a few days a month, right?

No. The average woman spends about three thousand days of her life menstruating—that's more than eight years total! How do you want to spend those eight years?

And besides – we know there's a better way! There are many ways to keep your brain healthy and support your hormonal health. Nutritious food and healthy habits can improve your brain function and potentially help you maintain long-term brain health.

We list the most important ones:

Live according to your cycle

Certain PMS symptoms can be alleviated by living according to your cycle. Founder Morgane and many other women do this and wouldn't want it any other way. It might sound a bit overwhelming or vague, but it's actually about going with the flow of nature, rather than swimming against it.

Because of hormones, your body has different needs during each phase of your cycle. We sometimes compare it to the four seasons, and you probably notice that you have much more energy in the summer than in the winter, right? Read more about it in our blog: Living according to your cycle .

Eat nutritiously

Nutrition plays a major role in your brain health. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is a good start, but studies have shown that a Mediterranean diet is the best for keeping your brain healthy. And they really know how to eat there, so it's easy to maintain.

Focus on plenty of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, plus olive oil, omega-3 fats from fish and seafood, nuts and seeds.

All of these foods have anti-inflammatory properties and are packed with antioxidants that have been scientifically proven to support brain health.

Get enough sleep

A healthy brain needs plenty of sleep. When you sleep, your brain uses that time to clear away cellular debris and repair everything. Sleep is also when your brain forms memories. Even one night of little or poor sleep can impact your brain function the next day.

Moreover, poor sleep also affects your hormones. If you sleep poorly or not enough, this can lead to increased stress hormones.

We know you might wake up sometimes (for example, if you have young children), but it's important to try to get as much quality sleep as possible.

Maintain good sleep habits, such as going to bed at a consistent time each night, avoiding screens before bed, and having a good evening routine that helps you fall asleep relaxed.

Read more about how sleep affects your cycle in our blog post Sleep and Your Cycle: How Are They Connected?

Stay active (physically and mentally!)

If you want to keep your brain healthy, keep both your body and mind active.

Exercise can positively impact your brain health. Regular physical activity supports your hormones and brain, so try adding it to your routine.

Remember that your energy levels fluctuate throughout the month, so be mindful of that and align your exercise with your cycle. Also, be sure to read our blog post on how to do this: Period Power: Train According to Your Cycle .

It's also important to keep your brain active. Just as you exercise your physical body, you can do a lot to exercise your brain. Think reading, doing puzzles, socializing, talking to new people, trying something new, or traveling—these are all great ways to keep your mind sharp and healthy.

Reduce stress

We know it's not always possible to reduce stress, but you can start by becoming aware of it. Make a list of the things that stress you out and see what you can eliminate, reduce, or put aside until a better time.

Stress increases inflammation, and when you're stressed, your brain perceives it as a threat. When this happens, your primitive brain kicks in and you go into survival mode.

While this may be beneficial in the short term (for example, you're stressed about an upcoming exam so you study harder), chronic stress can be harmful to your brain in the long run.

Want to know how to reduce stress? Read our blog post about it: How Stress Affects Your Cycle .

Make sure you get enough omega 3, vitamins and minerals

It's scientifically proven that the DHA in omega-3 contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function. Omega-3 is primarily found in oily fish and shellfish.

Other vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B3 , B6 , B12 , C and magnesium contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism, normal psychological function and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Keep track of your complaints

Want to know if your symptoms are linked to your cycle? Start by tracking them. There are handy apps for this:

Apple: Moodfit , Mr Mood , Worry Watch ,

Android: Mood Tracker , Daily Mood
If you have any questions about how your brain and hormones are connected, or if you'd like to talk to one of our experts about how you can further support your mental health, please get in touch . We're here to help and answer your questions.