How to Support Your Body During Your Period

A fertility coach’s guide to mood swings, movement, and cycle-aware self-care

Trying to conceive can feel like an emotional rollercoaster, especially when your period arrives, signalling that another month has passed without a positive result. But rather than seeing your menstrual phase as a monthly disappointment, what if you reframed it as a time for rest, reflection and deep body wisdom?

In this post, we’ll explore how to support your body during your period – physically, emotionally, and hormonally – so you can improve your symptoms, enhance your natural fertility, and work with your cycle, not against it. This is one of the foundations of effective cycle charting and long-term reproductive health.

Menstruation and Mood: Why It Hits So Hard

When you’re trying to conceive, getting your period can feel like failure, even though it’s just your body doing what it’s meant to do. Add mood swings, exhaustion, cramps and the feeling that you might burst into tears over something minor, and you’ve got the perfect storm.

The hormonal shifts of the menstrual phase can amplify feelings of frustration, sadness, or even hopelessness. But these emotions aren’t something to push down or push through – they’re a sign that your body and mind need space.

This is why the menstrual phase is the ideal time to clear your schedule, lower your expectations, and give yourself permission to slow down. Think journalling, quiet mornings, walks in nature or simply being alone with your thoughts. It might feel unfamiliar at first – but like anything, rest takes practice.

Common Period Symptoms (And What They’re Telling You)

If you experience any of the following symptoms, know that you’re not alone – but also know that common doesn’t always mean normal.

• Cramping
• Fatigue
• Food cravings
• Mood swings or tearfulness
• Low energy or motivation
• Trouble sleeping
• Withdrawal from social activities
• Reduced performance in exercise or sport

While these symptoms are typical, they’re also a signal. If they’re interfering with your daily life, it might be time to reflect on what’s going on beneath the surface. Poor sleep, stress, processed food, and under-eating (or overtraining) can all impact your hormone balance, and in turn, affect your period.

This is where cycle charting becomes such a powerful tool. When you track your symptoms day by day, you start to see patterns and signals. Over time, this builds body literacy; helping you support your natural fertility and make informed decisions about your health.

Work With Your Cycle, Not Against It

The menstrual phase isn’t just about bleeding – it’s a reset button. It’s a time of intuitive clarity and emotional honesty. In fact, it can be one of the most creatively potent phases of your entire cycle.

Rather than ignoring the emotional intensity that often comes up during your period, try leaning into it. This is a time to journal, reflect, and tune into your gut instincts. It’s also a powerful time for decision-making – not from logic, but from that deeper, wiser place inside you.

As a fertility coach, I always encourage my clients to treat the menstrual phase as sacred – not in a woo-woo way, but in a deeply practical one. When you work with your cycle, you stop pushing, start listening, and learn to align your life with your biology.

Move, But Gently

You don’t have to stop moving during your period – but you might need to change how you move.

If your energy is low, take the intensity down a notch. Instead of HIIT workouts or long runs, try gentle yoga, stretching, or a walk in nature. This isn’t about being lazy, it’s about supporting your body’s recovery and respecting its natural rhythm.

Restorative and yin yoga are especially helpful, particularly poses that relieve cramping and tension. These slower forms of movement can help reduce inflammation, improve circulation and support hormone balance; all essential if you’re trying to conceive naturally.

Think of it as active recovery. Over time, respecting your body’s need for rest will lead to more sustainable progress, not just in fitness, but in fertility too.

Why You Might Need More Sleep

Hormonal shifts can leave you feeling more tired than usual, especially if cramps or disrupted sleep are part of your premenstrual experience.

During menstruation, your body is shedding the uterine lining, managing inflammation, and rebalancing hormones. All of that takes energy. Try heading to bed earlier, keep your room cool, and prioritise sleep the same way you prioritise nutrition or exercise. It’s that important.

Period Relief with Essential Oils

While there’s limited scientific data on essential oils, many women (myself included!) find them incredibly soothing during menstruation.

My go-to blend includes lavender, geranium, ylang ylang and cedarwood. I apply a few drops directly to my lower belly and gently massage them in when cramps kick in – it’s simple and effective. Whether it’s the oil or the ritual, it helps. And when something helps during your period, you don’t ask too many questions.

Other great options to diffuse or apply (always diluted!) include clary sage and bergamot; both calming and hormone-supportive.

What to Eat During Your Period

Nourishing your body during your menstrual phase is one of the best things you can do to support natural fertility. Your energy requirements are actually slightly lower right now, but your nutrient needs are still high.

Here’s what to focus on:

• Iron-rich foods: To replace what you lose through bleeding. Think red meat, spinach, kale, asparagus, and legumes.
• Anti-inflammatory foods: Ginger, turmeric, berries, oily fish like salmon, and colourful veg.
• Wholefoods over comfort foods: While it’s tempting to reach for sugar and salt, they can worsen bloating and mood swings. Opt for nourishing, satisfying meals instead.

This is also a great time to begin seed cycling – a natural way to support oestrogen and progesterone levels using flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds during the first half of your cycle. I add a tablespoon of each to my morning smoothie – and no, a tablespoon won’t mess with your partner’s hormones (much to my husband’s concern!).

Supplements and Sips for Symptom Relief

While I don’t recommend self-prescribing supplements, there are a few worth discussing with a health professional if you experience ongoing period symptoms:

• Magnesium: Helpful for muscle cramps and sleep
• Fish oil: Anti-inflammatory support
• Collagen: Tissue repair and skin health

Teas can also be a gentle addition – especially those with chamomile, licorice, or hibiscus. I’m a big fan of balancing blends with floral, earthy flavours. And if you’re a broth lover, bone broth can help replenish nutrients and support the rebuilding of the uterine lining post-menstruation.

Final Thoughts

Menstruation doesn’t have to be a time of dread or disappointment – especially when you’re actively trying to conceive. It’s a vital, intelligent phase of your cycle that offers rest, reflection, and reset.

By tuning into your body’s needs, tracking your symptoms through cycle charting, and working with a qualified fertility coach, you can transform your period from a nuisance into a source of insight and healing. This isn’t just about surviving your period – it’s about supporting your natural fertility and reclaiming trust in your body.