Menstrual Cycle Chart Hormones: A Typical Cycle Explained

What does a menstrual cycle chart of hormones show? It sets your own days beside that usual curve. During a period, estrogen and progesterone are both low. FSH then nudges an egg to mature and estrogen climbs, a surge of LH releases the egg, and progesterone rises afterward, falling again if there is no pregnancy. Our page on the menstrual cycle phases walks through each stage. A short daily note is enough: whether you are bleeding, plus your energy, sleep and training.

How is cycle length worked out? Day 1 is the first day of bleeding, and the cycle ends the day before the next period starts. The chart counts the days in between and sets each cycle beside the ones before it. Many women find that 2 to 3 months of notes is enough to show a clear personal pattern, and a change from your usual length that holds across that many months is worth checking.

What changes in the second half of the cycle? This is the stretch when progesterone is highest, and it is common to feel more tired or bloated in the days before a period. Some women find extra fluids, a little more carbohydrate and good sleep make those days easier.

Is it okay to exercise during a period? Yes. The WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour (2020) support aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity every week, and a period is no reason to step away from that if you feel well. If energy is low, many women ease the intensity rather than drop the habit.

What are the limits of the chart? Averages are not rules. A large meta-analysis (McNulty et al., Sports Medicine, 2020) found any effect of cycle phase on performance is trivial on average and varies a lot between women, so the evidence does not support rigid phase-based plans, and your own log tells you more than a general curve. The chart is for understanding, not diagnosis, and it sits alongside our other tools.

Common questions

How long does a period usually last?

A period lasts 2 to 7 days, usually about 5, and bleeding is typically heaviest in the first 2 days, according to the NHS. Marking the first and last day of bleeding on your chart shows where your own periods sit.

Should I plan hard workouts around my cycle phase?

There is no need to, and it is fine if you would like to. Some women feel strongest in the days after their period ends, which can be a good time for heavier lifts if you feel like it. A one-word note on how each session felt is a simple test: if your strong days cluster at the same point cycle after cycle, that is a pattern to plan around, and if they do not, a steady week serves you well.

Does what I eat affect my cycle?

It can. The IOC consensus on RED-S (Mountjoy et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2023) links regular periods to eating enough for the training you do. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, favor whole grains, and many active women have more carbohydrate around harder sessions. A line on your chart about food on those days shows whether fuel and energy move together.

Who can I show my cycle log to?

Your primary care doctor, OB-GYN or, in the UK, your GP can all work from a log. Bringing your dates and symptoms, on paper or on your phone, makes the conversation quicker and more specific.

Next steps

A good place to start is day 1 of your next period. Most of what a chart shows is normal variation, and a few signs are worth a doctor's visit: cycles that keep landing shorter than 21 days or longer than 35, bleeding that goes past 7 days or is heavy enough to disrupt school, work or sleep, pain that stops you training or going about your day, and periods that stop while you train hard. For a parent wondering whether a first period is late in coming, that question is reason enough to ask. If pelvic pain or irregular periods persist, it is reasonable to ask for a referral. Take what helps from the chart and leave the rest: this is not one size fits all, and you decide what fits you.

Menstrual cycle chart hormones: what does a typical cycle look like?