The Hormone Cafe

In this episode of The Hormone Café, Dr. Sarah Pederson is joined again by Kelly Sinning, licensed professional counselor and perinatal mental health specialist, to explore how women’s mental health fluctuates across the menstrual cycle. From hormonal highs and lows to how to communicate needs with partners and friends, this episode provides actionable insights for thriving mentally and emotionally throughout your cycle.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

💬 Talking About Your Cycle with Friends and Partners

• With friends: opening up often encourages mutual sharing, creating understanding and support.
• With partners: conversations require context, clear explanation, and understanding of differences in perception.
• Men and women experience emotional rhythms differently — women operate on a 28-day cycle, men on a 24-hour clock.

Key strategies:

• Explain what different phases of your cycle feel like
• Give concrete guidance for your needs (e.g., “I just want to rest tonight”)
• Use humor and timing strategically
• Help partners anticipate moods rather than reacting to them

❤️ Aligning Needs with Hormonal Phases

Understanding the cycle allows better mental health and relationship dynamics:

• Ovulation: Higher energy, more romantic and social
• Luteal phase (pre-period): Irritability, fatigue, introspection
• Period: Need for rest, downtime, lower energy

By planning and communicating your needs during each phase:

• Relationships feel smoother
• Self-care is easier
• Partners can participate constructively without feeling “in the dark”

🧠 Hormonal Fluctuations and Mental Health

• Mood, energy, and motivation naturally vary across the cycle.
• Weeks of low motivation or fatigue are normal, not personal failure.
• High energy phases can be leveraged for productivity and social connection.
• Low energy phases offer rest, reflection, and introspection — which have value.

Planning for each phase reduces guilt, pressure, and stress.

🌿 Thriving Through the Cycle

• Identify the purpose and opportunity in each phase.
• Use introspective, quiet phases for planning, learning, and rest.
• Use high-energy phases for action, productivity, and social engagement.
• Embrace natural rhythms instead of fighting them.

Kelly emphasizes that leaning into these biological patterns improves mental health and overall alignment with your body.

Key Takeaways:

• Mood changes across the menstrual cycle are normal and biologically driven.
• Open, clear communication with friends and partners is critical.
• Recognize the value of low-energy phases — they are productive in different ways.
• Planning around your hormonal rhythm helps reduce stress and improve relationships.

Embrace your cycle rather than trying to power through it.