Education
Plain-English menstrual health education.
The CycleVault Education content is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, consider speaking with a qualified healthcare professional.
If you believe something is incorrect or unclear, email support@thecyclevault.com and we’ll review it.
What a Period Actually Is
Periods are often described as “bleeding once a month,” but that description leaves out most of what is actually happening. For many people, periods are a regu...
The Menstrual Cycle, Explained Simply
The menstrual cycle is often talked about as a countdown to a period or a number of days on a calendar. But at its core, the cycle is less like a strict schedu...
What Hormones Are Doing During Your Cycle
Hormones often get blamed for how people feel during their menstrual cycle. They are described as unpredictable, overwhelming, or “out of control.” In reality,...
Why Cycle Length Can Change From Month to Month
Many people expect their menstrual cycle to follow a fixed timetable. When a period arrives earlier or later than expected, it can trigger worry or frustration...
What “Normal” Periods Really Look Like
Many people grow up with the idea that a “normal” period arrives on the same day every month, lasts the same number of days, and causes little to no discomfort...
Why Period Symptoms Can Feel Different Every Month
Many people expect their period symptoms to follow a predictable script. When cramps are stronger one month, emotions feel heavier the next, or symptoms barely...
Cramps: Why They Happen and Why They Vary
Cramps are one of the most common and least clearly explained parts of having a period. For some people, they are a mild background sensation. For others, they...
Fatigue Around Your Period
Feeling more tired around your period is a common experience, yet it is often dismissed or misunderstood. Fatigue during this time can feel frustrating, especi...
Mood Changes Across the Cycle
Emotional shifts across the menstrual cycle are often talked about in oversimplified ways. Feelings get attributed to “just hormones,” which can make real expe...
Spotting vs a Period
Not all bleeding during a menstrual cycle looks the same. Many people notice light bleeding at times that don’t line up with their expected period and wonder w...
How Stress Shows Up in Your Cycle
Stress is often described as something that lives only in the mind, but the body feels it too. For people with menstrual cycles, stress can show up in subtle o...
What Tracking Your Cycle Can Help You Notice
Tracking your menstrual cycle is often talked about as a way to predict the future or gain control over your body. That framing can create pressure and disappo...
What Tracking Can’t Predict
Cycle tracking can be a helpful way to notice patterns over time, but it can also create expectations that bodies aren’t designed to meet. When a predicted dat...
How Periods Can Change Across Life Stages
Periods are often treated as something that should stay the same once they “settle in.” When changes happen later on, they can feel unsettling or raise questio...
When It Makes Sense to Talk to a Doctor
Many people hesitate to talk to a doctor about their period. Some worry they’re overreacting. Others worry they won’t be taken seriously. And many assume that...