Why everyone is suddenly talking about their luteal phase.

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"Do you really need to rearrange the living room, or are you just in your luteal phase?" a creator asks in a Tik Tok video. 

"I booked the date when I was in my follicular phase, but now that I'm in luteal all I want to do is cancel," a friend confides. 

One does not simply 'let it go' in one's luteal phase, reads a meme I see shared in my group chat. 

Feels. Image: Pinterest.

Once a term reserved solely for those trying to conceive, discussion about the 'luteal phase' — generally considered to be the two weeks before your period arrives — has exploded in recent years, tossed around as both an explanation for ennui and a rationale for practising radical self care. 

As women become more aware of the fluctuating impacts of their cycle on everything from mood to motivation, we're rightly paying more attention to this often-tricky part of the month.

But what does it really mean, and what's really going on in the luteal phase? 

Menstrual cycle stages, unpacked.

The menstrual cycle is divided into four stages.

First, the menstrual phase, where the lining of your uterus sheds and you have a period.

Second, the follicular phase, where an egg matures and the uterine lining thickens, followed by the third phase, ovulation, where an egg is released, ready for fertilisation. 

The fourth and final stage of the cycle is the luteal phase - where hormones prepare the uterus for a potential pregnancy, then drop in preparation to shed the uterine lining if pregnancy doesn't happen. 

Each stage brings with it a different ratio of hormones — primarily a rise in progesterone and a fluctuation in oestrogen — and with it, a range of physical and emotional symptoms that stretch far deeper than the stereotypical three weepy days with a block of emotional-support Dairy Milk.

These hormonal changes can lead to a variety of emotional and physical symptoms, collectively known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) for most people, and in more severe cases, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).

Watch: We've got the spill on how much period pain is normal. Post continues below.

The hormonal shifts during the luteal phase can have a profound effect on brain chemistry, particularly on neurotransmitters like serotonin, which is a key regulator of mood. This can lead to a range of emotional symptoms, including:

Mood swings: Rapid shifts in mood, from feeling happy one moment to sad or irritable the next.

Irritability and anger: An increased tendency to feel frustrated, angry, or easily agitated.

Anxiety and tension: Feelings of heightened anxiety, nervousness, or being "on edge."

Depression and sadness: Experiencing a depressed mood, feelings of hopelessness, or crying spells.

Social withdrawal: A desire to pull away from social activities and a loss of interest in hobbies.

Fatigue and low energy: Feeling unusually tired or lacking motivation.

Trouble concentrating: Experiencing "brain fog" or difficulty focusing on tasks.

Sleep Disturbances: Insomnia or, conversely, feeling a need to sleep more than usual.

Changes in appetite: Increased food cravings (especially for carbohydrates, sweets, or salty snacks) or overeating.

What is the luteal phase?

Dr M Talat Uppal explains the luteal phase is the part of the menstrual cycle after ovulation, usually lasting about a fortnight. 

"During this time, the ruptured ovarian follicle forms the corpus luteum, which produces the hormone progesterone . 

"Progesterone in turn, thickens the uterine lining, preparing it for a potential pregnancy. If fertilisation doesn't occur, hormone levels drop, triggering menstruation."

What does the Luteal phase feel like?

During the luteal phase, rising progesterone is the dominant hormone, Dr M Talat Uppal said.

"It causes physical symptoms including breast tenderness and swelling, bloating and fluid retention, constipation or diarrhoea from smooth muscle relaxation, headaches, acne, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, and changes in cervical mucus and appetite.

"Progesterone also slightly raises basal body temperature. Mentally, fluctuating progesterone and oestrogen affect brain function, leading to some women experiencing mood swings, irritability, anxiety, depression, increased sensitivity to stress, difficulty concentrating (brain fog), fatigue, emotional lability, and changes in sleep patterns.

"These hormonal changes shape the common physical and emotional experiences women associate with the latter half of their menstrual cycle."

About a third of women suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and one in 20 from more severe symptoms — premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), often disrupting daily functioning and interpersonal relationships.

Why you feel the need to 'burn it all down' in your luteal phase?

Women's wellness educator and psychotherapist Lucille Loveday works with clients of all ages to help them better understand the mental and emotional implications of this phase. 

"As a psychotherapist, I look at the ways in which energy within the female body informs our emotions and our cognition. A lot of the focus of talking about the menstrual cycle is focusing on what's happening at each stage in terms of wanting to be pregnant or preparing for pregnancy," she explains.

"I feel like we need to agree and understand that even though that not might not be our particular focus for our life, depending on where we're at, that there's still going to be this underlying psychic energy - by which I mean psychic as in the psyche, not like crystal ball stuff."

Loveday likes to explain the luteal phase through the metaphor of a cave.

"It's like we're in the cave, and we are looking out. We're preparing for menstruation, so that period beforehand, in a way, is when we're allowing ourselves to be in our mood if we need to be."

"We're allowing ourselves to be in touch and in tune with what's happening in our body, and even if we're not preparing for pregnancy, in many ways it's like we're deep-seeding this idea of what could come next."

In fact, says Loveday, the luteal phase can actually be a time where we're more in tune with what we need from life, but the mismatch between the way our brains think about the need for change, and the available energy we have to make those changes, can cause friction and anxiety. 

"Be prepared for feelings of 'f*ck it', I just want to burn it all down right now," she advises. 

"It's also a bit of a 'red flag season' for making the small changes your life needs, in the right time when we're feeling energetic post-period. That's when you get women saying things like 'I want to break up with my husband in the luteal phase' or 'I want to quit my job, buy a caravan and travel around homeschooling the kids.'"

"While the urge to change everything might be exaggerated, the underlying issue might have a kernel of truth. Perhaps you don't want to leave your partner, but your body is telling you that you need more connection. Perhaps you don't want to pack in modern life, but your intuition is telling you that you need a simpler schedule, or more time in nature."

Listen: We unpack women's health in this episode of Well. Post continues below.

How to hack your cycle.

Loveday believes that understanding the limitations and advantages of each part of the menstrual cycle can help empower women with the tools they need to live happier, more content lives. 

"Luteal is actually a beautiful phase for self-reflection if you recognise it as such," she says.

"Am I going too hard? Do I need to rebalance? Do I need to make sure I'm spending more time in that interior sense of my world? Do I need to make sure I'm connecting more with my natural self?"

And while Loveday admits this can be a challenge amongst the constant demands of modern life, she says working in line with your body's needs can still be powerful. 

"Your boss might come to you and say, 'this project needs to be done in a week and a half', and you're deep in the luteal phase," she says. 

"You can say to yourself 'OK, well I'm going to feel reactive. I'm going to feel pissed off, I'm going to feel pressured more than I would in any other phase of my cycle, but I can still get the job done, if I do what I need to in order to care for myself so that I can be at my optimum within this phase of my cycle." 

"You can then say things to yourself like 'what do I need to do to look after myself at this time? Maybe that's cancelling a few gym sessions, or focusing on gentler movements like yoga and pilates instead. Or maybe it's ordering pre-cooked meals for that week of the cycle. It's all about taking the pressure off so you can perform in the way you want to at all stages."

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