Photo by Marta Pucci
How hair, exercise, and sex are all related to your cycle
Good or bad hair day? Running or yoga? High or low sex drive?
Many people who consistently use Clue to track changes in hair, exercise type, and sex life have noticed significant changes in their bodies, and have also been able to draw patterns between specific parts of the menstrual cycle and symptoms. So how exactly does your cycle affect these things?
Let’s start with your hair
Due to the changes in your scalp’s oil production, your hair texture and appearance can vary greatly. Since sebum (oil produced by the sebaceous gland) and the hair follicle exit from the same opening in the skin, the hair and skin surrounding may be coated in sebum, leading to a more oily look and feel during the premenstrual and menstrual period.
But it’s not all up to biology. Your hair can also be affected by external factors such as the climate you live in, the amount of pollution you are exposed to, and the products you use.
In Clue, you can track your hair daily as “Good”, “Bad”, “Oily”, or “Dry”. You can also create your own .
Next up: exercise
Some days you might feel super energized and motivated to work out, while other days, the opposite is true. Although sleep and diet are major factors when it comes to your exercise performance, scientific studies are also exploring how hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle can affect your training.
Research has found that strength training during the follicular phase (the first part of your cycle, from your period to ovulation) resulted in higher increases in muscle strength compared to training in the luteal phase (the second part of your cycle that occurs after ovulation). Tracking your exercise along with your energy levels in Clue can help you understand cycle-related patterns. This insight can also help you better determine which days are most optimal for training.
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Last but certainly not least: sex
The way sex feels can change throughout your cycle. Something that felt great on day 14 may be less comfortable on day 26. These changes are real and happen in response to your reproductive hormones.
You may not notice a pattern unless you tune-in to your sexual desires, which is why tracking sexual activity in Clue may be useful.
Knowing what feels better at certain times can help you understand your body’s changes and help you get more of what you want.
The top five changes that may affect your sexual experience are:
Position of your cervix
Lubrication (vaginal wetness)
Sex drive and arousal
Pain tolerance
TLDR: During your cycle, your hair, exercise routine, and the way you experience sex are likely to change, but the only way to notice these patterns over time is by tracking daily.
It’s never too late to learn more about your body. Download Clue and start tracking today.
Article originally published in April 18, 2019.
