Hormones play a pivotal role in shaping our daily energy, mood, and focus, and the rhythms of these hormones differ vastly between men and women.
The 24-Hour Male Hormonal Cycle
Men operate on a 24-hour hormonal cycle, with testosterone levels peaking in the early morning and gradually decreasing throughout the day. By the next morning, the cycle resets, and testosterone levels rise again, creating a consistent daily rhythm.
This predictable pattern means most men tend to feel relatively similar from one day to the next.
The 28-Day Female Hormonal Cycle
In contrast, women experience a more complex, cyclical hormonal rhythm averaging 28 days. Here’s how it works:
Week 1-2 (Follicular Phase): Oestrogen and testosterone levels begin to rise, peaking around ovulation (mid-cycle). This is often when women feel their most energetic, confident, and motivated.
Week 3 (Luteal Phase): After ovulation, progesterone levels rise while oestrogen and testosterone start to dip. Women may notice shifts in mood, focus, or physical energy during this phase.
Week 4 (Premenstrual Phase): Hormones decline further, often leading to the emotional and physical symptoms associated with PMS. This marks the transition to menstruation and the beginning of a new cycle.
Unlike men, whose hormones follow the same rhythm daily, women experience distinct shifts throughout the month. As a result, women may feel remarkably different not only week to week but sometimes day to day.
A Society Built on a 24-Hour Clock
Here’s the challenge: modern society is structured around a 24-hour cycle. Workdays, productivity expectations, and social norms all assume a daily consistency. For men, this rhythm aligns well with their biological cycle. But for women, it can feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
Women’s natural rhythms reflect the moon more than the sun, ever-changing and cyclical rather than constant and unvarying. This isn’t a flaw; it’s simply a biological truth.
Embrace Your Natural Rhythm
It’s essential to honor and adapt to your unique cycle rather than forcing yourself to conform to a daily standard that doesn’t fit. Check in with yourself regularly:
How do you feel today?
What do you need mentally, physically, or emotionally?
Grant yourself permission to adapt your expectations based on where you are in your cycle. Some days you’ll feel like conquering the world, and other days you’ll need rest and self-care. Both are valid.
A Final Thought
Men shine like the sun, steady and consistent. Women flow like the moon, dynamic and changing. Neither is better than the other; they are simply different. Understanding these rhythms allows us to work with our biology, rather than against it, fostering greater balance, productivity, and self-compassion.
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