Many women tend to feel tired mid-cycle. This is not their imagination; it’s a real phenomenon. But while this tiredness may affect millions of women across the globe, very few talk about it. Ovulation fatigue is real.
This article looks at ovulation fatigue and what you can do to better take care of your body during this time.
How Ovulation Works
Before looking at ovulation fatigue, you must first understand what happens during ovulation and its impact on your hormones and body.[1]
The term ovulation refers to the moment the ovaries release a mature egg. This is the time of the month when a woman is most susceptible to pregnancy. If not fertilized, the body expels the egg during the monthly menses.
Certain hormone changes play a key role in triggering the ovulation process. During the week before ovulation, for example, your body increases its production of follicle-stimulating hormone. Estrogen and luteinizing hormone levels also increase. This increase in luteinizing hormone triggers the ovulation process.
Post-ovulation, you will experience a reduction in estrogen levels while your progesterone levels rise. Your energy levels will also improve.
Ovulation Fatigue
The term ovulation fatigue is used to describe the feelings of tiredness that many women experience around the time of ovulation. These feelings of fatigue may arise from the fluctuations in hormone levels during a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Many other factors can influence the severity of ovulation fatigue and the diverse symptoms a woman experiences during ovulation. Examples include the length of a cycle, abnormalities experienced during a cycle, and even underlying health issues.
6 Most Common Causes of Ovulation Fatigue
Hormone level changes are often cited as the main reason so many women feel ovulation fatigue.
1) Changes in Estrogen Levels
The period shortly before ovulation is accompanied by a rise in your body’s estrogen production.[2] This increased estrogen production is to prepare your body for pregnancy.
Estrogen can also increase your energy levels due to its role in energy homeostasis.
If pregnancy does not occur, your estrogen levels will decrease after ovulation. This may contribute to ovulation fatigue.
2) Changes in Progesterone Levels
Your progesterone levels may rise immediately after ovulation. This is because of the formation of a structure in the ovary called the corpus luteum. It develops from the follicle that has released the egg. The corpus luteum releases progesterone to prepare a woman’s uterine lining for the implantation of a fertilized egg.
This rise in progesterone levels may promote ovulation fatigue. This is because progesterone has a depressant effect that may promote feelings of fatigue.
When fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum will decay. This results in a decrease in progesterone levels and the start of a woman’s menses.
3) Changes in Metabolic Rate
Changes in metabolic rate may also contribute to ovulation fatigue.[3]
Your metabolic rate and energy levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle. Metabolic rate is usually lowest about a week before ovulation. We associate a low metabolic rate with feelings of lethargy and fatigue.
A woman’s metabolic rate will start to rise after ovulation takes place until the next time she menstruates.
4) Stress
A woman trying to conceive may experience elevated stress levels that contribute to feelings of fatigue, especially around her ovulation date. But other factors can also increase your stress levels, like a challenging work environment or home situation.
Stress can contribute to fluctuations in hormone levels.[4] This is due to the activation of your body’s NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response that causes a marked increase in cortisol levels. The increase in this stress hormone’s production comes at a cost, however.
Stress may result in a sharp decline in pregnenolone levels. Pregnenolone is the precursor hormone to cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, and other hormones.
Besides affecting the production of other hormones, high cortisol levels may also contribute to fatigue.[5]
5) Sleep Quality
Fluctuating hormone levels, as are common with ovulation fatigue, may have a negative effect on your quality of sleep as well. You may experience difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep.
Higher estrogen levels, as experienced immediately before ovulation, may not only contribute to sleep disturbances but also promote daytime sleepiness. This is because estrogen plays a key role in your sleep-wake cycle, i.e., your circadian rhythm.
While progesterone has a calming effect, low or high progesterone levels may also interfere with your quality of sleep.
6) Increased Susceptibility to Infection
The ovulation process can temporarily make you more susceptible to certain types of infection. This is because ovulation slightly suppresses your immune system so that sperm can fertilize an egg.
This immune system suppression may result from an increase in progesterone levels immediately after the release of an egg. Progesterone has an inhibiting effect on immune cell activity.
Your body’s immune response during ovulation involves an inflammatory reaction. The ovulation process itself may induce inflammation when the follicle ruptures to release the egg. The resulting inflammation is your body’s effort to heal the injury sustained in the ovary when this happens.
Both estrogen and progesterone also affect your immune health and your body’s inflammatory response.
Estrogen has both a stimulatory and regulatory effect on certain immune cells. In other words, while it may help regulate your immune response, it also stimulates certain immune cells when your body perceives anything it considers a threat. Too much or too little estrogen could cause an imbalance in your body’s immune response.
Progesterone, on the other hand, has a modulating effect on your body’s immune response. Because of this, it may also promote an anti-inflammatory state in certain instances. This means that low progesterone levels may result in an increase in inflammation in the body.
The lowering of estrogen levels and rise in progesterone levels after ovulation may contribute to ovulation fatigue, or mid-cycle exhaustion. Because of progesterone’s action on your immune system and inflammatory response, women tend to be more susceptible to infection during this period.
Other Symptoms that May Accompany Ovulation Fatigue
Besides ovulation fatigue, many other symptoms may indicate ovulation:
Cramping
During this time, many women experience mittelschmerz, or ovulation pain.[6] This term describes lower abdominal pain and cramping that usually occurs midcycle.
An estimated 40% of women of childbearing age suffer from ovulation cramps.
These cramps result from a ruptured follicle, so that the ovary can release an egg. This process may irritate the abdominal lining and cause cramping or pain. Another contributor to these feelings is the stretching of the ovary’s surface and the consequent release of blood or fluid from the ruptured follicle.
Increased Breast Sensitivity
Breast sensitivity is a common symptom of ovulation. Nipples may also experience increased sensitivity.
The cause of breast sensitivity when you ovulate is due to fluctuating hormone levels. The changes in estrogen and progesterone levels that prepare for a potential pregnancy also stimulate breast tissue. This may promote the swelling and tenderness that many women experience in their breast tissue and nipples.
Increased Sex Drive
It is not uncommon for women to experience an increase in libido during ovulation. A woman’s sex drive changes throughout her menstrual cycle. This is because of changes in hormone levels.
An increase in estrogen levels may promote vaginal lubrication while increasing sexual desire. On the other hand, an increase in progesterone levels has the opposite effect. It may lower a woman’s sex drive.
Estrogen levels are at their highest just before ovulation. At the same time, progesterone levels are very low. This combination of higher estrogen levels and lower progesterone levels may thus increase a woman’s libido at this time.
Changes in Mood
A woman’s mood may fluctuate during the entire menstrual cycle. These mood swings could result from changes in hormone levels. An increase in certain hormones may have a beneficial effect on mood. Conversely, a decrease in certain hormone levels may have the opposite effect.
Cervical Mucus Changes
Many experience a change in cervical mucus consistency during ovulation. It may become thinner and more slippery. This is to encourage sperm movement.
After ovulation, cervical mucus may thicken or even dry up.
Bloating
Bloating during ovulation is also connected to fluctuations in hormone levels. These changes may lead to an increase in water retention as well as changes in how the digestive tract works. Many women also experience an increase in gas production during this time, which can manifest as bloating.
Spotting
Spotting, i.e., light bleeding, is common during ovulation. Do not confuse this with menstruation. This light spotting may result from the rupture of the follicle during ovulation.
Increase in Basal Body Temperature
It is common to see an increase in the basal body temperature of a woman during ovulation. It usually occurs after the release of the egg. This slight temperature rise is attributable to elevated progesterone levels, the hormone produced following ovulation to prepare the body for potential pregnancy.
Lifestyle Factors that Can Contribute to Ovulation Fatigue
Certain lifestyle factors can influence ovulation fatigue. These include:
- Unmanaged stress, which can disrupt your body’s hormone production and affect your quality of sleep.
- Lack of adequate exercise. While strenuous exercise may not be a good idea and worsen your ovulation fatigue, moderate exercise may have a beneficial effect on your quality of sleep.
- Not getting enough sleep may disrupt your body’s hormone balance. This may worsen ovulation fatigue while making it more difficult to cope with your body’s various ovulation symptoms.
- A poor diet may result in your body not getting the essential nutrients it needs. This can promote fatigue and hormone imbalance. An iron deficiency may cause anemia and ovulation issues. Both may promote ovulation fatigue.
- Smoking and pollution exposure can both harm reproductive health and contribute to fatigue.
- The excessive use of stimulants like alcohol and caffeine can disrupt your sleep pattern, promote hormonal imbalances, and thus worsen ovulation fatigue.
Importance of Hormonal Balance
Your hormones play a pivotal role in several important body functions. Examples include:
- Circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle)
- Body temperature
- Reproduction
- Stress response
- Metabolism
- Feelings of hunger and satiety
Your hormones also play a key role in growth and development. This is especially true in children and fetuses. Depending on which hormones are in a state of imbalance, you may experience issues with several of the functions mentioned.
With regards to sex hormones in women, estrogen and progesterone balance each other to maintain a specific hormone balance. This hormone balance helps to regulate a woman’s entire reproductive cycle, i.e., menstruation, ovulation, fertility, pregnancy, and menopause.
These hormones also play a role in energy levels and mood. These hormones also affect a woman’s immune health and inflammatory response, especially when experiencing ovulation fatigue.
How to Support Your Body During Ovulation Fatigue
Fortunately, you can do much to provide your body with the support it needs during ovulation and address ovulation fatigue.
Get Enough Quality Sleep
It is recommended that you get between seven and nine quality hours of sleep per night.
For quality sleep, especially when suffering from ovulation fatigue and if sleeping is an issue, try to encourage a better nighttime routine. This includes staying away from electronic devices, avoiding caffiene, keeping your bedroom dim, cool, and quiet, and taking a warm bath before bedtime. You could also take a nap during the day if you need it.
Manage Your Stress
Stress can impact your sleep and promote fatigue. To manage stress, consider meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises. You can also consider spending more time with your friends, participating in fun activities, taking up a new hobby, or spending time in nature.
Your Diet
A balanced diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats. Certain foods, like seeds, may also naturally help balance hormone levels.
You should limit your intake of processed foods and those containing trans fats and sugar. Also avoid or limit alcohol, caffeine, and carbonated drinks.
Drink Enough Water
Dehydration is a main contributor to fatigue. Many people who feel fatigued do not drink enough water during the day. Around eight cups per day is recommended. This will provide your body with the hydration it needs to function properly and can help with ovulation fatigue.
Regular Exercise
Regular exercise promotes mental and physical health and well-being. It is an energy booster and promotes the release of endorphins. Endorphins are feel-good hormones that improve mood and cognition. Furthermore, regular exercise promotes a good night’s rest.
Gentle exercise is best if you have a stress-related condition.
Ideally, exercise works up a light sweat, slightly increases your heart rate, and increases your breathing rate. Good examples include cycling, brisk walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates, and tai chi.
Tracking Your Cycle
You can track your cycle either by using a tracking App or a calendar.
When using a tracking App, you input certain data, and the app gives you a breakdown of the stages of your monthly cycle.
When using a calendar, you mark the first day of your period. This is the first day of your cycle. You then note how many days you bleed. This helps you determine how long your bleeding typically lasts.
To track the length of your cycle, count from the first day of one period to the first day of the next. This will allow you to see whether you have a regular cycle.
On average, a woman’s cycle lasts 28 days, with ovulation occurring on day 14.
Supplements
Some supplements and herbal remedies may help boost your energy levels if you suffer from ovulation fatigue.
Good examples of energy-boosting supplements include iron, B-complex vitamins, and magnesium. You could also consider a supplement like Liquid Vitex. The supplement promotes increased progesterone production and may help address ovulation fatigue and other symptoms associated with a woman’s monthly cycle.
In Closing
Besides the ovulation process itself, other factors like hormonal changes can leave you feeling tired and drained. Listening to your body and making use of the various support methods suggested may help you feel and function better during ovulation.
If ovulation fatigue is affecting your quality of life, Lam Clinic offers personalized care designed to support hormonal balance. Their integrative approach addresses the root causes of fatigue to help you regain energy and resilience.
