Why Tracking Your Health Data Matters

If you’re a woman, understanding your unique hormonal cycle can transform your quality of life. Your body operates in natural phases each month, influencing everything from your energy to your mood and performance. By tracking some basic health data for at least three months, you can:

• Understand your body’s rhythms.
• Spot patterns in your energy and recovery.
• Learn how to better support yourself throughout your cycle.

What to Track

We recommend logging the following key metrics:

1. Resting Heart Rate (RHR)
2. Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
3. Respiratory Rate
4. Sleep Quality – focus on deep sleep and REM sleep.

If you use a health tracker or app, this data is often readily available. Here’s how to compare your data effectively:

• Compare Days 1-14 (low hormonal phase) across multiple months.
• Compare Days 15-28 (high hormonal phase) across the same months.

This method avoids the mistake of comparing your low and high hormone phases within the same month, which can make it feel like something is “wrong” when your energy shifts. Spoiler: it’s perfectly normal!

Low-Hormone Phase vs. High-Hormone Phase

Your menstrual cycle has two main phases:

• Days 1-14: The Follicular Phase (Low Hormone Phase)
• Estrogen dominates, helping you feel more energetic and resilient.
• Your nervous system shifts toward recovery (parasympathetic dominance).
• Days 15-28: The Luteal Phase (High Hormone Phase)
• Progesterone rises, creating a more stress-driven state (sympathetic dominance).
• You may experience increased heart rate, reduced HRV, and shallower sleep.

These natural shifts can cause changes in recovery, mood, and immune system function. By tracking these metrics, you’ll understand why you feel differently at various points in your cycle and how to adapt to those changes.

The Role of Breathing and Recovery

During the high-hormone phase (Days 15-28), progesterone increases your respiratory rate, leading to lower carbon dioxide levels in your body. This imbalance can cause hyperventilation, increased stress, and even anxiety attacks. Research shows carbon dioxide levels can drop up to 25% during PMS, which is significant!

A Simple Breathing Tool: Pranayama

To calm your nervous system and restore balance, try controlled breathing exercises:

• Triangle Breathing: Inhale for 5 seconds, exhale for 5 seconds, and hold for 5 seconds.
• Repeat for 5 minutes or 10 rounds.

This technique:

• Stimulates the vagus nerve, increasing your recovery mode (parasympathetic state).
• Reduces stress and anxiety quickly.
• Improves the gas exchange (CO2 & O2), especially when breathing through your nose and belly.

Nutrition and Strength During Your Cycle

Supporting your body with the right nutrients is key:

• Low-Hormone Phase (Days 1-14):
• Your body is anabolic, strong, and forgiving.
• Prioritize strength training and clean nutrition to set a solid foundation.
• High-Hormone Phase (Days 15-28):
• Your body is more stressed and catabolic.
• Increase your intake of high-value protein and whole-food carbohydrates (10-15% more than usual).

Example Nutrition Guide:

• Protein: 2-3 g per kg body weight
• Carbs: 2-4 g per kg body weight

For a 60 kg woman, this equals 120-180 g protein/day and 120-240 g carbs/day. Divide meals evenly to maintain stable energy levels.

Why Strength Training Matters

Strength training is a game-changer for women’s health. It:

• Builds lean body mass (essential for metabolism and hormone health).
• Improves your ability to handle inflammation and menstrual cramps.
• Prevents muscle loss, which accelerates as we age due to declining estrogen and testosterone.

Tools to Support Your Cycle

To reduce stress and support recovery, you can incorporate adaptogens and supplements like:

• Ashwagandha: Reduces stress and balances hormones.
• L-Theanine: Promotes calm and focus.
• Magnesium: Relieves stress, relaxes muscles, and prevents cramps.

These components, along with essential amino acids and probiotics, are what make Harmonized so effective. It’s specifically designed to help women balance their nervous systems, maintain energy, and thrive throughout the month.

Final Thoughts

Your body’s natural cycle is a powerful guide to understanding and improving your health. By tracking your metrics, adopting breathing exercises, and supporting your body with nutrition and strength training, you can work with your cycle, not against it.

Harmonized was created to help women thrive – no matter where you are in life. Start tracking, start breathing, and start thriving today!