The four seasons of your cycle

Three women sharing tea and conversation on a sofa at Circle 2.0, The Cycle Edition

Most of us were taught one thing about our cycle at school: the period. Then we were left to work out the rest on our own. But your hormones are moving all month long, and many women notice that how they feel moves with them.

The “four seasons” idea is a popular way to picture this. You’ll find it in books like Wild Power by Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer. It isn’t a medical term, and nobody’s cycle follows it perfectly. It’s simply a friendly way to start paying attention.

What’s actually happening.

In the first half of your cycle, the hormone oestrogen rises, and your ovaries get an egg ready to release. That release is called ovulation. In the second half, progesterone helps the lining of your womb get ready for a possible pregnancy. If you don’t get pregnant, both hormones fall, the lining comes away, and your next period begins.

Your four seasons.

❄️

Winter: your period

From day 1. Periods last around 2 to 7 days.

Your hormones are at their lowest and your womb lining is being shed. Many women describe this as an inward, slower time: wanting warmth, quiet and an earlier night.

Try noticingHow’s your energy today? What would a little rest look like for you?

🌱

Spring: after your period

The follicular phase

Oestrogen starts to rise as your body gets an egg ready. Some women say they feel lighter, more curious and more in the mood to plan and try new things.

Try noticingWhat ideas are bubbling up? What do you feel like starting?

☀️

Summer: around ovulation

For most women, around 10 to 16 days before the next period

An egg is released. Some women notice they feel more sociable, chatty or confident around this time. Others don’t notice much at all, and that’s fine too.

Try noticingWhen do you feel most like yourself around other people?

🍂

Autumn: before your period

The luteal phase

Progesterone rises, then falls with oestrogen if there’s no pregnancy. This is when many women notice premenstrual changes in mood, sleep, appetite or how their body feels. Some also find it a sharp, honest time for finishing things and saying no.

Try noticingWhat’s asking for your attention? What do you need less of right now?

Soft is not the same as weak.

Everyone’s seasons look different.

If you use hormonal contraception, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are in perimenopause, your cycle may work quite differently, and some of the above won’t apply. That’s okay. The point isn’t to fit a pattern. It’s to learn yours.

Speak to your GP if anything about your cycle worries you, for example:

periods that are very painful or very heavy
bleeding between periods or after sex
a cycle that suddenly changes, or periods that stop
premenstrual changes that make everyday life hard

How to start noticing your seasons.

Mark day one. Note the first day of your period. That’s the start of your cycle.
Check in daily. Two minutes a day on mood, energy, sleep and flow. A word or a number is plenty.
Look back after two or three cycles. Patterns often only show up over time. You might be surprised by what you find.

🩷We’re a community, not a clinic. Speak to your GP or specialist.

Sources

Periods and fertility in the menstrual cycle, NHS.
Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer, Wild Power (Hay House, 2017).

About this read

Written by The Women’s Circle team with AI support, then checked and approved by Sophie East, Founder of The Women’s Circle. This is general information for self-reflection, not medical advice. How we write.

The four seasons of your cycle.