Celebrating Valentine’s day with self-care

Valentine's Day is a lovely excuse to give the people you love a little extra appreciation. And a great reason to give yourself some of that appreciation too.

We're big believers in self-love here at Clue. We want people to understand their bodies so that they can take the best care of their health and wellbeing.

So no matter whether you're in a relationship or not, here are some of the ways you can show yourself some love this Valentine's:

Love your… body.

Take the time to check in with your body. Valentine's Day is a perfect day to schedule all of your doctor's appointments, including your next visit to the OB/GYN, and spend more time taking care of yourself.

If you don't already have a breast self-exam routine, now's an opportune time to start. Checking your breasts on a monthly basis can be an important way to detect potential diseases, such as cancer. Here are five simple steps to get you started and you can also set up self-exam reminders in Clue to help turn it into a regular habit.

Love your… sexuality.

You might notice that some days your sex drive is off the charts and other days it's the last thing on your mind. It's normal to feel this way and it's influenced by hormones like estrogen and progesterone that change throughout your cycle (1).

In 2016, Clue users in the U.S. tracked sex 53% more on Valentine's Day than the weekend before and after, and tracked high sex drive 30% more.

If you're feeling especially amorous it could be because you are approaching ovulation. It's normal for people to masturbate (1), consume more erotica and have more intense and arousing sexual fantasies during this time (2-5). On the other hand, people approaching or on their period might just not feel in the mood (6,7) – although some people find self-given orgasms handy for easing menstrual cramps (8). Either way, it can be helpful to understand your own sexual activity outside the context of sexual partners. Using custom tags to track masturbation using Clue can help you spot patterns and changes throughout your cycle and understand your own needs better.

Love your… you time.

Just like your sex drive, you might find your desire to socialize also changes throughout your cycle. Be gentle with yourself and go with whatever your body needs:

• Estrogen is the dominant hormone during the first half of your cycle and this can help you feel more energized (9). This could be a great time to hang out with friends.
• If you are approaching ovulation your sex drive is likely to be at its peak (10) – this could be a great time to go on a date or stay in with a lover. Just remember, you have the greatest chance of getting pregnant during your fertile window, so if you aren't trying to conceive take care to use birth control.
• If you're premenstrual then you might feel more fatigued and less like going out (11). Try spending a little extra time alone, doing relaxing activities like yoga and giving your body the rest it needs to feel restored.

Show yourself some love this Valentine's Day, and everyday. Download Clue today.