Your Period is never late.

Did you know what is the main event of the menstrual cycle?

Ovulation.

Ovulation is the main event of your menstrual cycle.

The timings of your period is impacted by when you ovulate and you can actually predict your next period even if you’re irregular (woohoo!) by understanding your bodies signs leading up to ovulation.

(You can read more about how to identify ovulation here if you like!)

Your menstrual cycle has 2 distinct phases (with 4 sub-phases - we wont cover these today): the Follicular Phase and the Luteal Phase.

The Follicular phase is dominant in the hormone Oestrogen and includes your period and concludes when Ovulation occurs.

Once Ovulation occurs, oestrogen levels drop and progesterone production increases during the second half of your cycle, this is the Luteal Phase, and the length of this phase it varies from about 11 to 17 days from person to person.

If your period arrives later than you expected, it means that you OVULATED later than usual. Delayed ovulation can be caused by excess stress, diet changes and other factors.

HOT TIP!

***If you want to figure out when your next period is coming, figure out roughly when you ovulated, then count the number of days between that day and your next period - this is the length of your Luteal Phase, and its usually the same every cycle.

Once you’ve got to grips with how long your average Luteal Phase is, it will be so much easier to predict your periods every cycle, no matter when you’re ovulating!***

“A Queen is never late, everyone else is simply early” - Queen Clarisse, The Princess Diaries.

Your period is a QUEEN and it would never be late.

So, once you grasp ovulation and befriend your period, it CAN become your favourite part of your menstrual cycle if you choose!

What do you do to celebrate your Queen arriving each cycle? Do you take time to rest? Do you journal? Take a day off? Let me know in the comments!