Understanding your menstrual cycle: The four seasons of your hormones

At Flouria, we believe every woman deserves to fully understand her menstrual cycle. Yet, for most of us, it wasn’t something properly explained in school. You might have pieced things together on your own, or maybe you still feel like you’re missing pieces of the puzzle.

This guide is here to change that. Think of it as the class you should have had, explaining what’s really going on in your body each month, without judgement or jargon.

Table of contents

1. What is the menstrual cycle?

2. How long is a normal cycle?

3. Why we call it the four seasons

4. Winter: the period

5. Spring: the follicular phase

6. Summer: ovulation

7. Autumn: the luteal phase

8. Why knowing your cycle matters

What is the menstrual cycle?

Your menstrual cycle is the monthly rhythm driven by your hormones. They rise and fall in waves, and with each shift come physical and emotional changes. The cycle prepares the body for pregnancy, but even if pregnancy isn’t your goal, these changes still shape your health, mood, and energy.

If no egg is fertilised, aka you don’t get pregnant, the thickened lining of your uterus sheds. That’s what we recognise as menstruation, or the period

⏰ You often hear that the cycle is 28 days long, but that’s only an average. A healthy cycle can be anywhere from 21 to 38 days long.

The four seasons of the cycle

Instead of technical, hard-to-remember terms like the follicular and luteal phase, we find it easier to think of your cycle as four seasons (inspired by Maisie Hill’s Period Power):

• Menstruation = Winter

• Follicular phase = Spring

• Ovulation = Summer

• Luteal phase = Autumn

Each phase feels different because of hormonal shifts, mainly oestrogen and progesterone, along with supporting hormones like FSH and LH.

Winter: the period

Day one of your cycle is the first day of bleeding. Oestrogen and progesterone are low, which triggers your period. The uterine lining sheds, sometimes with clots or tissue. Periods last between 3–7 days.

Low hormone levels explain why winter often brings cramps, sore breasts, digestive issues, and mood dips. It’s normal to crave rest, warmth, and comfort food.

Spring: the follicular phase

After your period ends, FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) nudges ovarian follicles to grow. One follicle eventually matures into an egg, while rising oestrogen thickens the uterine lining.

With oestrogen climbing, many women notice more energy, better mood, and even sharper social skills. You may feel like “you again” after the heaviness of winter.

Summer: ovulation

Around mid-cycle, oestrogen peaks and triggers an LH (luteinising hormone) surge, releasing the mature egg from its follicle. This is ovulation. The egg travels down the fallopian tube and can be fertilised for about 24 hours.

💡 Fertility window: Because sperm can survive up to five days, your fertile window is wider than just ovulation day. That’s why unprotected sex in the days before ovulation can still lead to pregnancy.

You may notice “egg-white” cervical mucus around this time: your body’s way of supporting sperm survival. Many women also feel a natural confidence boost, higher libido, and more energy.

Autumn: the luteal phase

If the egg isn’t fertilised, it breaks down. The follicle releases progesterone for a while, which keeps the uterine lining thick in case pregnancy occurs.

At the start of autumn, some people still ride the energy of summer. But as progesterone dominates and oestrogen drops, you might feel more tired, inward-facing, or crave cosy downtime. This is also when PMS (premenstrual syndrome) can appear.

🧠 Women with ADHD often notice stronger PMS symptoms. That’s because oestrogen helps regulate dopamine, and when oestrogen is low in late luteal phase, ADHD symptoms may feel worse.

As progesterone and oestrogen fall sharply, the uterine lining starts to shed, and winter begins again.

Why knowing your cycle matters

Understanding your menstrual cycle isn’t just about knowing when you can or cannot get pregnant. It’s about recognising how your body and mind change each month, so you can work with those rhythms instead of against them. It can explain mood swings, energy shifts, cravings, and even how you experience stress.

Being cycle-aware helps you plan, cope, and feel more connected to your body. And that’s powerful knowledge every woman deserves.

Key takeaways

• The menstrual cycle is more than just your period - it has four phases: menstruation, follicular, ovulation, and luteal.

• Cycle length varies between 21–38 days; 28 days is just an average.

• Hormones like oestrogen, progesterone, FSH, and LH shape each phase and influence your mood, energy, and body.

• Thinking of your cycle as seasons - winter, spring, summer, autumn - makes it easier to understand.

• Cycle awareness empowers you to work with your body, not against it.

References:

Eng, A. G., Nirjar, U., Elkins, A. R., Sizemore, Y. J., Monticello, K. N., Petersen, M. K., Miller, S. A., Barone, J., Eisenlohr-Moul, T. A., & Martel, M. M. (2024). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the menstrual cycle: Theory and evidence. Hormones and Behavior, 158, 105466. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105466

Reed, B. G., & Carr, B. R. (2018, August 5). The normal menstrual cycle and the control of ovulation. Nih.gov; MDText.com, Inc. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279054/

Thiyagarajan, D. K., Basit, H., & Jeanmonod, R. (2024). Physiology, menstrual cycle. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500020/