Cycle basics
How your four phases ebb and flow. 16 articles, 2 short courses, sources listed on every one.
In short: Your menstrual cycle runs from the first day of one period to the day before the next, usually 21 to 35 days (NHS). It has four phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulation and luteal. These articles explain how it works, what counts as normal, why periods come late or early, and how to track your own pattern.
Start with a course
6 reads, 25 minutesHow your cycle worksExplain the four phases to a friend, know what a normal cycle looks like, and know when your cycle is telling you something.8 reads, 32 minutesLate, irregular or missing periodsLog in a way that shows patterns, work out what is behind a change, and know when to see a GP.
The basics
What actually is a menstrual cycle?It is not just your period. It is a whole monthly loop.4 min readWhat is a normal cycle length?Spoiler: there is a wide, healthy range.4 min readIrregular cycles: what is going on?When your period keeps you guessing.4 min readTracking 101What to log, how often, and why it is worth it.3 min readWhy your predictions shiftYour app is not broken. Your body is just being a body.4 min readYour first periodWhat to expect, and how to be ready.4 min readLate period? The common reasonsFrom pregnancy to stress to switching your pill.4 min readSpotting between periodsWhat a little unexpected blood can mean.4 min readYour cycle is a vital signWhy doctors care about your period pattern, and what to note for them.4 min readDelaying your periodHoliday, exam or big day? What is actually possible, and what is not.3 min readPeriod twice in one month: is it normal?Sometimes it is just calendar maths. Sometimes it is worth a GP visit.4 min read
Deep dives
The four phases, in depthMenstrual, follicular, ovulation and luteal, and what each one is doing.5 min read · Deep diveMeet your hormonesOestrogen, progesterone, LH, FSH and testosterone, minus the jargon.5 min read · Deep diveCycle syncing: an evidence checkWhat the science really says about living by your phases.4 min read · Deep diveHow stress, travel and illness affect your cycleWhy your period goes on holiday when you do.4 min read · Deep diveYour cycle through lifeFrom the first period to menopause: what changes, and when.4 min read · Deep dive
Read it, then track it.
Splash keeps these articles offline in the app, right next to your own cycle. Free, no account.