Sex Hormones 101: What They Do + What You Actually Feel
Living in Rhythm: How Your Body Works in Every Phase
Your body isn’t random—it’s rhythmic.
Each phase of your cycle brings real shifts in hormones, mood, energy, and cravings.This series breaks it down simply—so you can understand what’s happening and support your body with food, lifestyle, and flow.
Because when you know your rhythm, you thrive with it.
Photo by Look Studio on Unsplash
Meet the hormones running your moon cycle—and how to finally sync with them.
Before we dive into your moon cycle phase by phase...
Let’s meet the hormones running the show.
These chemical messengers are powerful. When they’re balanced—you feel unstoppable. When they’re not? Cue the bloating, burnout, brain fog, and mood swings.
Understanding your hormones is your first step to reclaiming your rhythm.
The Major Players:
🔹 Estrogen
Your glow hormone.
Boosts mood, energy, skin, brain function, and libido.
She’s the queen of follicular and ovulation.
🔹 Progesterone
Your calm hormone.
Supports sleep, stabilizes mood, eases PMS, and nourishes your nervous system—especially during the luteal phase.
🔹 Testosterone
Your libido + confidence hormone.
Sparks sex drive, energy, muscle strength, and boldness—especially around ovulation.
🔹 FSH + LH
Your cycle kickstarters.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) helps grow new follicles.
Luteinizing Hormone (LH) triggers ovulation.
Why this matters for you (especially now)
In your 20s and 30s, your hormones are peaking—but stress, birth control, poor sleep, or under-eating can throw things off.
In your late 30s to early 40s, estrogen and progesterone begin to shift—and symptoms like anxiety, fatigue, PMS, or skin changes can hit harder.
The earlier you understand your hormonal rhythm, the better you’ll feel now—and the more resilient you’ll be later.
Let’s break it down—phase by phase:
🌱 Follicular Phase (Days 6–14)
Key Hormones:
Estrogen ⬆, FSH rising, testosterone starts to rise
What’s happening:
You’ve just finished bleeding. Estrogen is climbing. You’re resetting and rebuilding.
Hormonal Impact:
This is your most productive, expansive phase.
Brain lights up
Skin glows
Dopamine rises
Motivation returns
How you feel:
This is your “let’s start fresh” phase.
Energized, optimistic, flirty, creative
Cycle Hack:
Plan your schedule. Try new things. Move your body.
✨ Support with blood-nourishing foods like goji berries, sprouts, and nettles.
🌕 Ovulation Phase (Around Day 14)
Key Hormones:
Estrogen ⬆⬆ (peak), LH surge, testosterone peak, progesterone begins to rise
What’s happening:
Ovulation occurs. This is your hormonal high—fertility, glow, magnetism.
Verbal fluency + charisma
Libido spikes
Estrogen = collagen boost + mental clarity
Testosterone = confidence + drive
Hormonal Impact:
This is your energetic peak. You’re magnetic, clear, and expressive.
Communication, visibility, and intimacy flow naturally.
How you feel:
Magnetic, radiant, outgoing, turned on
Your bold, expressive energy is flowing.
Cycle Hack:
Show up. Speak up. This is your time to shine.
✨ Eat fiber-rich foods to help metabolize estrogen (think: broccoli, flax, greens). Shatavari tea or our Ovulation support ritual can keep your glow steady.
🍂 Luteal Phase (Days 15–28)
Key Hormones:
Progesterone ⬆, estrogen dips then rises slightly, all hormones drop pre-bleed
What’s happening:
Your body preps for a period. Progesterone takes the lead. Mood may shift, cravings rise.
Hormonal Impact:
You may feel more sensitive, introspective, or irritable.
Mood shifts
Blood sugar becomes more volatile
Cravings, fatigue, and PMS may show up
You feel more inward + emotional
How you feel:
Craving comfort, space, calm
This is your “no-BS, leave me alone (with snacks)” phase.
Cycle Hack:
Eat warm, stabilizing meals. Focus on rest, boundaries, and emotional support.
✨ Sip lemon balm or chamomile tea to ease stress and bloating. Warm, grounding meals are your best friend now.
🌑 Menstrual Phase (Days 1–5)
Key Hormones:
Estrogen and progesterone are at rock bottom.
Prostaglandins rise (causing cramps). FSH begins to rise.
What’s happening:
Your hormones drop. Bleeding begins. Your uterus is releasing. This is your biological reset.
Hormonal Impact:
This is your body’s natural detox window.
Energy drops
Mood dips
Immune system lowers
Your body demands warmth, stillness, and restoration
How you feel:
Tender, tired, introspective, inward
This is your rest and renewal phase.
Cycle Hack:
Rest. Rebuild with blood-nourishing foods. Hydrate. Protect your energy.
✨ Cramp bark + ginger tea can ease pain and soften the edges of this phase. Think: soup, socks, silence.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to guess anymore.
Your hormones are guiding you every single week—like a built-in blueprint.
Understand them.
Honor them.
And start living in sync with your rhythm.
Because your body isn’t unpredictable—it’s powerful.
And when your hormones are in sync, so are you.
Start syncing with your cycle today:
Track where you are in your cycle right now
Adjust your meals, movement, and mindset with each phase
Follow @mymoonaffair for more education and daily tips
Your rhythm is wisdom. Trust it. Live it. Thrive with it.