20 Aug Is your premenstrual week not so bad after all?
Sure, there’s not a lot to love about your premenstrual Week 4: Good sleep is harder to come by, aches and pains are more pronounced and then there’s that whole moody merry-go-round thing to contend with. But, what about your energy? Well, that may be not so bad after all. Let me explain:
In your Week 3 (the week prior to your premenstrual week), rising progesterone is putting a serious dent in your pep. That’s because this hormone has sedating qualities that are likely to make you feel foggy-headed and thisclose to a nap all day long.
However, once your Week 4 rolls around, levels of progesterone drop steadily, taking away that fatigue and fog-inducing effect. As a result, compared to how you were in Week 3, you’re likely to feel more physically and mentally energized.
What’s more, as estrogen descends, you’re prone to getting bursts of “noradrenaline”–a brain chemical that temporarily revs your pep as effectively as a cup of caffeinated tea or coffee, which can make you chatty, excited, antsy or maybe even a little anxious.
No, you’re probably not going to enjoy all-day Week 2 type of energy that had you juggling 14 tasks simultaneously while still whipping up a four-course homemade meal. Plunging estrogen is still keeping you from reaching that type of zippiness. But, chances are, as progesterone plunges in Week 4 you can at least look forward to a little extra oomph to help get you through the end of your cycle.
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