Recording your cycle can help you understand your body and symptoms more fully
• Tracking your period can be useful for most women, but especially if you have, or suspect you have, PCOS, PMS, PMDD, thyroid disorders or endometriosis
• Period tracking can help during perimenopause and can even help you make a diagnosis
• How to choose a safe and secure tracking period tracking app
During your lifetime, you will have numerous periods. You may be familiar with your cycle, be it from making a note in your diary of when your period is due, or just being used to your symptoms, such as a dip in mood a couple of days before or experiencing menstrual cramps.
You can be perimenopausal with reducing hormone levels and still have regular periods, or you might find that your periods have changed since you’ve started experiencing hormonal fluctuations and perimenopausal symptoms – they might have become more erratic or changed in duration or flow. Whatever your situation, tracking your periods can be beneficial.
What is period tracking?
Quite simply, period tracking is making a note of when your period occurs. You may have done this in the past – by putting a ‘P’ in your kitchen calendar, for instance – or you might make a note in your diary or phone. Period tracking can be as basic as noting the start and end date, but there are now more ways than ever to track your flow.
The free Balance app has in-built period tracker and also has information on periods, hormones, health conditions, and perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Smartphones have in-built apps that allow you to track your period, you can also do it on your Apple or Garmin Watch.
These allow you to record more information – alongside the dates of your period, you can note how heavy or light your flow is each day, and if you are experiencing any accompanying symptoms, such as cramps, acne breakouts or skin changes, tiredness, headaches, bloating or mood fluctuations.
Why would I want to track my period?
Throughout your life, there may have been times when you’ve tracked your period – for instance to help determine when you’re ovulating, if you’re planning on having a baby, or to help plan holidays or important events so that they don’t coincide with your period. Sometimes it’s just helpful to know so that you have sanitary wear on you or so that you’re aware of any effects on your mood.
Some women who have, or suspect they have, PCOS, PMS, PMDD or endometriosis find it useful to track their symptoms alongside information on their periods.
How does it help in perimenopause?
If your periods have become more erratic, you may wonder if there’s any point in trying to track them – after all, they’re unpredictable! But if you’re experiencing other symptoms – for instance, brain fog, hot flushes, joint aches or an increase in migraines – it is likely that you are perimenopausal, so it is worth consulting with a clinician who understands hormones to discuss treatment options to improve both your symptoms and your future health.
Newson Health GP and Menopause Specialist Dr Clair Crockett says: ‘Sometimes it’s not until you track when your periods are coming and what else you are noticing through your cycle that you realise something might be afoot. Looking back over a period of weeks or months can really help you establish what could be happening so you can feel empowered to reflect on what you have learned through doing this and consider what you might want to do about it.’
Your period information can be invaluable for your GP or healthcare provider. Your appointment may only last 10 minutes so if you’re able to take a log of symptoms with you, this will really improve your consultation and allow your doctor to spend more time talking to you about treatment options.
Logging your symptoms too can be useful – you may notice a pattern between these and where you are in your cycle. It can be beneficial to know that a dip in mood, for instance, can be hormone related as treatment is available – usually replacing hormones improves these symptoms.
Is there anything else I should consider?
You might also want to choose an app such as Balance that’s dedicated to women experiencing hormonal changes and also contain information and articles to help you learn more.
Dr Clair says: ‘Balance is a free app that has an in-built period tracker and you can also log perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. It allows you to get a good picture of the symptoms you’re getting in a way that’s easy to relay to a clinician so you can get help tailored to your needs.’ Balance does not share data with third parties for marketing purposes and has been certified by the Organisation for
the Review of Care and Health Apps, which reviews and approves apps for the NHS and multiple national health bodies around the world.
A study found that women felt empowered by using apps such as Balance, and gained an increased sense of confidence and knowledge about their own menopause experience [1].
