If you're new around here, welcome! I'm a menstrual health expert and ND. I have helped thousands of women welcome in healthy periods and balanced hormones with my program Period Reboot! Be sure to hop on the waiting list so you're notified the next time the doors open!

Do you find that anxiety revs up with a vengeance in the weeks or days before your period? If so, you are not alone! Heightened anxiety before your period is a shockingly common experience for many women.

The Luteal Phase is typically the longest phase of the entire menstrual cycle, spanning 10-14 days for many women. The Luteal Phase follows ovulation and is when the hormone progesterone is supposed to be surging. If we are not making progesterone though or are struggling with a hormone imbalance, the Luteal Phase can be an incredibly challenging phase of the month. PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, is a set of symptoms generally associated with the Luteal Phase. These symptoms include:

• irritability
• mood changes
• breast tenderness
• crying spells
• depression
• anxiety
• low energy

It's interesting to note that women are suspected to be twice as likely to struggle with anxiety disorders than men. Many attribute this to the large hormone fluctuations that occur for women in the Luteal Phase. 

Hormone Fluctuations

The hormone estrogen drops right before ovulation occurs. Progesterone then begins to increase in the Luteal Phase. Cortisol also tends to be higher in the Luteal Phase. This orchestration of changes are suspected to be part of the reason the Luteal Phase can feel more tumultuous for some women.

Hormone Imbalances and Increased Anxiety

As I mentioned earlier, the hormone progesterone is supposed to be the star of the show during the Luteal Phase. This however only happens IF ovulation took place. Now before you assume that you are ovulating, you may be surprised to know many women have regular periods but do not have ovulatory cycles. Without confirming ovulation by tracking basal body temperatures, we cannot assume one is ovulating. (don't worry - you learn how to confirm ovulation and also what to do if you're not ovulating in Period Reboot!) 

Some hormonal birth control methods can also turn off ovulation. So if you're struggling with anxiety in your Luteal Phase and you're using the pill or another birth control method, it's important to talk with your doctor to determine if there are other options. You may find that you no longer want to be on birth control, and there are many resources that can help you make that transition and feel informed in your decision. 

Can anovulation be a root cause? 

Possibly. If we are not making progesterone, it's possible that this could be enhancing our anxiety symptoms. Progesterone also binds to and increases the activity of the amino acid and neurotransmitter GABA. So if there is an absence of progesterone, it's possible this could be correlated to anxiety and other emotional behaviors. 

In 2008, a study found that people with a history of agoraphobia and panic attacks saw a worsening of their symptoms in the Luteal Phase by 51%!

So what can we do to support our anxiety in the Luteal Phase?

I look at a few different things with my students in Period Reboot when it comes to anxiety and even PMS in the Luteal Phase. First, I want to know if they are ovulating. In Period Reboot, students learn in week one how to track and confirm ovulation. From their temperatures, we can also get a sense of how progesterone is doing, what their thyroid health looks like and their general metabolic state. Some students also choose to do a DUTCH test - a dried urine test of comprehensive hormones - to get exact numbers on their hormones like progesterone. 

Many students are surprised to find they are not ovulating, and we then begin the steps to encourage ovulatory cycles again. Confirming progesterone is being made is a very important step. 

From here, we look at some key foundational steps to support hormone health as a whole. It's possible that if we're struggling with hormone symptoms and anxiety that our hormones need some general support. 

General Hormone Support

• Eat enough! If we're living on 1200 calories a day, it's likely our cortisol is through the roof and our hormones are in a depleted state. Simply eating enough throughout the day can make a world of difference
• Eat breakfast! Eating within 60 minutes of waking can be very impactful on blood sugar balance which in turn can affect hormone levels as well 
• Sleep! Prioritize quality sleep so your body can replenish itself and begin to repair

These simple steps can make a world of difference!

In Period Reboot, students learn how to work WITH their biology and how to support their hormones so they can welcome in regular periods, ovulatory cycles, balanced moods and symptom free cycles. I believe this information is VITAL and the aha moments and amazed faces in every live workshop I lead within Period Reboot are so powerful to see. 

Excited to join the next round of Period Reboot? Make sure you're on the waiting list here!

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