Fall + Luteal Phase Emotions

The luteal phase and its counterpart–fall–can come with difficult emotions. But by getting to know their patterns, we can find ease and build resilience for the challenges of our time.

During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, it’s common for challenging emotions–like grief, sadness, disappointment or even anger–to rise to the surface. It can feel like all of a sudden we’re aware of everything that is wrong. And at this moment on the planet, a lot can feel wrong.

Beyond the individual challenges we experience, we only have to read the news to be reminded that we’re on a rapidly changing planet with collapsing systems and lots of big unknowns. All of those collective challenges come with emotions, like climate grief or eco-anxiety, that mix in with more personal emotions, like dissatisfaction with a relationship or grief from losing a pet.

These uncomfortable emotions are also common in fall, the luteal phase’s mirror in the natural seasons. In this article, we’ll look at their shared qualities to better understand why these emotions seem to show up like clockwork and how we can shift our relationship to them to support our well-being and build our resilience.

But first, a disclaimer: Some challenging emotions and irritability is normal during the luteal phase. But it’s important to talk to your doctor if you’re consistently experiencing big mood swings and/or depression during your luteal phase that is both disruptive to your life and relationships and tends to dissipate when your period arrives, as this may be a sign of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).

PREDICTABLE PATTERNS

All menstrual cycle phases have a counterpart in the natural seasons that shares similar qualities and patterns. The counterpart for the luteal phase–the 10-14 days between ovulation and your period–is the fall season. The patterns they have in common offer insights into how to navigate the emotional landscape of each fall and luteal phase with more ease.

Here are three key patterns at play:

#1: A shift inward. In fall, the whole of the natural world begins turning inward–from humans spending more time indoors as temperatures drop to our plates filling with root vegetables that grow underground and out of view. The big, outward energy of summer is now directed inward to our homes, ourselves and our roots.

The same is true in your menstrual cycle. Fresh off of ovulation, you might still feel outward-focused, social and energetic as circulating estrogen can still be high. But as estrogen levels drop in the luteal phase, our desire to connect outward can give way to a desire to connect inward with ourselves.

When these natural shifts nudge us to turn inward in fall and the luteal phase, we can suddenly become aware of emotions, feelings, and needs that we simply didn’t notice during the outward-focused phases of these cycles. While this can feel confronting, it’s an opportunity to discern what is and isn’t working for us, so we can decide how we want to move forward.

#2: Time to wrap things up. Endings are everywhere in fall. Trees shed leaves grown in spring and summer to prepare for winter. Humans and animals alike harvest what was sown, storing away supplies for the coming leaner season.

In our body, the change in estrogen levels during the luteal phase shifts our brain chemistry, so that we can more easily focus on checking off to-do’s and taking care of the details needed to complete projects. 

These are phases where nature gifts us support to clear space, so we can prioritize what’s important to us. And because we’re human, the challenge of these phases is that sometimes we’re not ready to acknowledge what (or whom) needs to be let go of or to accept what has let go of us, and that can give rise to anger or sadness.

#3: Welcoming the dark. Traditional Chinese Medicine associates fall with the emotions of grief and sadness. And given that the fall season is when the days start getting shorter and darker, it’s no surprise that we can experience a shift in our moods.

In the luteal phase, mood dips can result from lower levels of estrogen and a related decrease in serotonin levels, as estrogen influences this mood-boosting neurotransmitter.

These phases can feel emotional, but it can be helpful to see them as natural times to make space to express your emotions–on your own, with loved ones, or a professional–both to integrate their wisdom and to release them, so you can move into the coming phases with more clarity and lightness.

PRACTICAL SUPPORT

Now that you know the patterns, here are a few ways to support yourself during each fall season and luteal phase, so that with a little bit of planning, you can flow with these natural cyclical changes.

• Slow down before you make a big change. When we feel newfound awareness of what’s not working, it can be tempting to make impulsive decisions. But you don’t have to change everything at once. Instead, write down your big questions and take them into the next phase–the menstrual phase and its counterpart, winter–where clarity is often waiting for us…even if it takes a few cycles.

• Choose comforting, cooked foods during these phases, like roasted root vegetables and stewed apples. These foods are easier on your digestive system, so your body has more energy for “digesting” emotions.

• Prioritize wrapping things up over starting anything new. This is your time to complete anything you’ve accumulated over the past cycle. Indulge your urges to clear out your to-do list, take care of what’s on your plate, let go of old projects and ideas that no longer feel right, and give your house a tidy as they arise. 

• Ask for help. Turning inward doesn’t mean going it alone. If these aren’t your easiest phases, plan ahead. Delegate tasks at work or chores at home. Schedule a chat with a friend. And if there’s something hard happening in your luteal phase, reschedule it when you can or build self-care time around it when you can’t.

• Make a date with your emotions. Your emotions are trying to tell you something in these phases, so create space to be with them in your unique way. Go for a walk, journal, take a yoga or kickboxing class, meditate, paint, or book a therapy appointment–whatever helps you connect with your inner emotional landscape. 

Hopefully already, you can see how these often misunderstood phases can actually be our allies in helping us identify what’s working and not working–both at the personal and collective level. Working skillfully with these phases through cycle awareness and a little planning can help us discover the changes we need to make. 

And learning how to feel and release challenging emotions in healthy ways–with a little help from nature’s cycles–can build our resilience to the challenges in our own lives and of this time on our planet.

Notes:
Read In The Flo by Alissa Vitti (p73-75, 107, 225, 245) to learn more about brain chemistry changes in the luteal phase.

Photo Credit: Allef Vinicius

Disclaimers:

The above article contains affiliate links. If you purchase one of the books we link to, Sister Seasons may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support!

This post is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. None of the information provided should be construed as medical advice. If you have concerns related to your menstrual cycle, please consult a licensed health care provider.