Whoever you ask during this time about how he is and how he feels will probably answer that he is incredibly tired. And how can it not be natural since 24 hours a day are usually not enough to do what you want or what “should”.
If you belong to those who feel a constant exhaustion, and if you have of course checked that there is no medical problem, what else can explain the lack of energy?
Well, your hormonal cycle could very well be to blame. In fact, having high and sometimes low energy levels is a sign of “good” hormonal health.
As Renee McGregor, a leading sports dietitian, puts it, “it makes sense to feel slightly different every day, and that’s because our hormones affect us differently every day.” “But just as important are the lifestyle factors combined with the hormones that can penetrate your energy levels.” “We know there are certain points in the cycle where you will probably feel more tired without a doubt, and especially if you do not understand what is happening, your behavior may reinforce it.”
It is normal, and healthy, for your energy to have “ups and downs”
As you know, the immune system temporarily becomes weaker before menstruation. The body also undergoes changes in the immune cells, and this can make you feel quite weak. When progesterone predominates in the luteal phase, you may begin to notice PMS-like symptoms.
“You will definitely need to consume more carbs for fuel at that point and if you do not and try to exercise too much, you will feel bad,” says McGregor. “Many women also notice a change in their heart rate during that period, with the rate increasing in the second half of their cycle. If you do not monitor your heart rate, you may just notice that the same workout you did two weeks ago is now much more difficult.
This does not mean that you have to change anything at any point during your period. McGregor does not agree with telling women that on the seventh day of their cycle, they should eat X, Y or Z and should train in a certain way, because science just can’t support that yet.
Your energy is at different levels when you do not have a period
But what if you take birth control pills? McGregor explains that some contraceptives will lower your hormones, which means you probably won’t have the same ups and downs as other women. For those taking the combined pill and taking a monthly break, a slight change in mood and energy may be felt, but McGregor wonders if this is partly psychosomatic. “I wonder if this is a little more of a placebo because no matter how long you wait for a period, you can expect to feel a little bad or weird,” he says.
Why is the energy of women completely different from that of men?
The difficult thing is to understand your energy levels compared to men. For example, if you often work out with a male roommate or partner, then it is easy to try to compete with him. This, says McGregor, is pointless as “men do not have to work so hard to have the performance results that women do.” Women have to work much harder to have the same performance results because they do not have testosterone in stock as men, she points out. He suggests that if you are training with a man, it is worth paying attention to your cycle, so that you can predict the weeks during which your training may be more difficult.
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