Once a period ends, lots of people feel better: the pain and bleeding are over, and meanwhile your body is growing a new egg. This part of the cycle is called the follicular phase. It starts on the first day of your period and lasts until ovulation.
What is your body doing right now?
Your brain sends the ovaries a hormone called FSH, which wakes up several follicles, tiny sacs that hold eggs. Usually one gets ahead of the rest and makes more and more oestrogen. Oestrogen builds the womb lining back up after your period.
It's a bit like the brain and the ovary texting each other: “starting”, “growing”, “ready”. When oestrogen is high enough, the brain sends out a surge of a hormone called LH, which tells the ovary to release the egg. That's the end of the phase.
Why don't I feel a burst of energy?
Not everyone feels a lift after their period, and that's completely fine. Sleep, stress and how much blood you lost this time all affect your energy.
After a heavy period your iron stores can drop, and that can leave you tired. Add meat, beans or lentils, dark leafy greens or dried fruit to your meals on these days. Large amounts of tea and coffee make it harder for your body to absorb iron.
Why is this phase shorter some months and longer in others?
In a study of 612,000 cycles, this phase lasted 17 days on average, and between 10 and 30 days for most people. A cycle of 21 to 35 days is considered typical, and most of the difference in length comes from this phase.
Stress, losing or gaining a lot of weight and exercising too much can all throw your cycle off. That's why the app shows your forecast as a window of a few days.
Common questions
I feel on top of the world after my period. Is that hormones?
Probably a mix of things: the pain and bleeding are over, and this may simply be your rhythm. If the lift comes back every cycle, enjoy it and make the most of it. Your friend might not get one, and that's normal too.
Can I get pregnant right after my period?
Yes, although it's not very likely. Sperm usually live inside the body for up to 5 days, sometimes up to 7, so with a short cycle or early ovulation, sex just after a period can lead to pregnancy.
Why is there hardly any discharge after my period, and then more later?
That's the usual pattern: closer to ovulation there's more discharge, and it gets clearer, wetter and more like raw egg white. A bad smell, itching or an unusual colour are the things to watch for.
In short
- Log how you feel every day for a couple of cycles to see your own pattern
- After a heavy period, add meat, beans or leafy greens to your meals
Source: NHS: Fertility in the menstrual cycle
Educational content; it does not replace professional medical advice.