10 Jan Got weekend plans on your mind? How to use your cycle to enjoy your days off even more
Spend your week looking forward to Friday? For many of us, this means the end of the work or school week and, hopefully, a couple of days (or at least hours) of rest and relaxation.
To help you get more enjoyment during your time off, here’s a quick Hormonology Guide to Your Weekend that shows you what kind of weekend activities you’re likely to enjoy based on which week you’re on in your monthly cycle:
Week 1: Childlike fun
Day 1 (first day of period) to Day 7
Low-but-rising estrogen is bringing out the kid in you this week of your cycle by lifting feel-good chemicals in the brain. So, you’ll enjoy what others see as “goofy” activities, like playing miniature golf, going to midnight bowling or seeing an animated movie.
Week 2: Exploration and excitement
Day 8 to ovulation (which is Day 14 in a 28-day cycle)
Break out your dancing shoes! Research shows that not only do your dance skills improve during your Week 2 thanks to high estrogen, which makes you move more adroitly across the dance floor, your moves are also more alluring, attracting hotties from miles away! Not a dancer? No problem! High estrogen and testosterone also have you enjoying anything new, experimental, physical and thrilling, like attending an interactive improv comedy performance, going to a casino, taking a spur-of-the-moment trip or dressing up for a midnight viewing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Week 3: Comfort and home
Begins day after ovulation and lasts 8 days (which is Day 15 to Day 22 in a 28-day cycle)
Food. Food. Food. And naps. These are pretty much all the activities rising progesterone is hoping you’ll fill your weekend with. But, in the off-chance you want to break up all that eating and sleeping by doing something else, this hormone–which ups your urge to feather your nest–also makes you happiest when shopping for items that make your work or living space more comfortable and inviting. So, you’ll enjoy heading to a flea market, thrift shop, crafts store or home décor retailer.
Week 4: A weekend for indulgence
Final 6 days of cycle
In Week 2 of your cycle, high estrogen may have feeling like a queen, but in your premenstrual Week 4, you want to be treated like one. That’s because estrogen is now plunging, which drags down levels of feel-good chemicals in the brain, making you more likely to have negative moods and be physically sensitive, which can prompt aches and discomfort. This makes it a perfect time to schedule a bit of pampering from someone else–for instance, getting a mani/pedi or massage–or pampering yourself–say, by getting a favorite treat, movie or book to enjoy.
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