Tracking your menstrual cycle has been all the rage in recent years. As a result, period tracking apps like Clue and Stardust have become increasingly popular too. It’s also possible to track your cycle manually on your computer, phone or with a notebook. Today we’ll discuss the benefits of tracking your cycle, whether you decide to do it manually or with an app.

Collecting as much information as possible during your cycle will help you identify trends as well as anything unusual. You need to be as detailed as possible, almost like you’re writing a journal entry. Information to focus on includes your sleeping and eating habits, mood shifts, energy levels, physical symptoms like bloating and headaches, changes in your mental health and if you’re active any changes in your exercise and performance.

Tracking your cycle isn’t only about knowing when your period will begin. There are many other benefits that aren’t related to your period, we’ll discuss these below too.

The menstrual cycle:

To track your cycle correctly you need to understand the different phases. The menstrual cycle consists of 4 stages and the period is just one of these stages. The menstrual cycle is a monthly hormonal process that can last around 28 – 30 days on average. The different stages of the cycle includes the menstrual phase (when you get your period), the follicular phase (the longest phase of the menstrual cycle when the egg begins to grow), ovulation (when the mature egg gets released) and the luteal phase (when the uterus gets ready for pregnancy).

Advantages of tracking your cycle:

1) It’s a great way to track your fertility:

If you would like to conceive or even if you don’t, tracking your cycle is very useful for finding out when you’re the most fertile. On average, most individuals are very fertile during the 5 days leading up to ovulation, the day of ovulation and the day after ovulation.

2) A more accurate way of knowing when your period will begin:

Tracking your cycle allows you to identify when your period shows up, so the chances of any surprises reduces drastically.

3) More control over your symptoms:

As mentioned above, tracking your cycle helps you monitor your symptoms. But, aside from just monitoring it allows you to handle them better too, as you now have an opportunity to put measures in place to manage them better.

4) You’re more aware of your own health:

Believe it or not, but your cycle is a great indicator of your overall health and well being. If you have consistently heavy, excruciatingly painful periods that’s a sign that something isn’t right. If your period or cycle suddenly shortens or lengthens that could also be a sign that something is off. This is why tracking your cycle can be so beneficial.

To conclude, tracking your cycle is undeniably useful on many levels. When it comes to how to track your cycle, that’s up to your personal preference – whether you want to use an app or do it manually. Just remember to collect as much detailed information as possible, which will give you an accurate overview of your cycle. If you ever feel like something is off, or you’re concerned about a potential health issue please see a medical professional.