If you’re a regular on TikTok, you’ve probably seen people talking about how excruciating the luteal phase of the ol’ menstrual cycle can be. Apparently it can trigger anger and crankiness, ridiculous fatigue, relentless headaches, and bad cramps. Oh, and you might think you look just as terrible as you feel.
But what is the luteal phase, exactly? Is it really the reason I hate everyone and could swear I’ve never looked uglier? And why am I, a person who has been getting periods for a couple decades, just now hearing about it? Here’s what to know about this particularly un-fun part of your cycle.
Here’s what’s going on in your body during the luteal phase.
The luteal phase lasts for about 14 days between ovulation and the day you start your period, when the hormone progesterone spikes in your body and causes all kinds of chaos. “Bloating and breast tenderness are common,” Lauren Osborne, MD, a reproductive psychiatrist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine, tells SELF. You might notice that you’re hungrier than usual, gassy, or having trouble sleeping, too. All of that, plus sluggishness, cramps, and mood swings, can make you feel like shit.
You might be hearing “14 days before your period” and “bad body image, moodiness, bloating” and thinking, “Wait, isn’t that just…PMS?” Turns out: Yes, yes it is. People who have PMS experience those symptoms in the luteal phase, Dr. Osborne says.
And because everyone’s cycles are different, you might get hellish PMS symptoms for all two weeks of the luteal phase, or for just a few days before your period shows up, Dr. Osborne says.
“Some people don’t feel these symptoms as much, some feel them minimally, and some feel them a lot. For those who experience mood changes, these can range anywhere from mild irritability, increased emotional lability”—a fancy term for big, sweeping shifts in mood—“or marked increases in anxiety or depression,” Staci Tanouye, MD, FACOG, a board-certified ob-gyn at Women’s Care in Brandon, Florida, tells SELF.
So, to be clear: People on TikTok are, perhaps without realizing it, just describing PMS when they say the luteal phase is putting them through the ringer. While they’re not wrong—PMS is part of this phase—it’s also not exactly some unique part of your cycle you weren’t familiar with before.
How to deal with awful PMS
If your symptoms are mild enough, a little self-care might be all you need, Dr. Osborne says. She recommends doing your best to get plenty of sleep, which can make you feel less tired and cranky, and staying hydrated. Relaxation techniques like yoga, listening to your favorite podcast, or spending time in nature can also help you chill out.