Once you start to understand your period, you can learn more about yourself and health. Tracking your period has become easier than ever due to technological advancements and the use of mobile health apps. Using mobile apps to track your period is extremely helpful for numerous reasons.
These include avoiding unplanned pregnancies, assisting in timing sexual intercourse in order to conceive, or simply becoming more informed about and in control with regards to your own body and health. CareClinic is the best period tracker app for logging symptoms and mood related to your menstrual cycle. CareClinic is your all in one healthcare management app, allowing you to track everything and view reports in one place.
What is a menstrual cycle?
Your period and its regular occurrence is a good indication of a healthy lifestyle. Every month, your period is an indication of your body working as it normally should. It is a way of releasing tissue and waste that is no longer needed. A woman’s period happens because of hormonal changes in the body. The ovaries release the hormones estrogen and progesterone, as these are the hormones that cause the lining of the uterus to build up. If there is no fertilized egg, the lining bleeds and is released from the body – this is your period.
Why is tracking your menstrual cycle important?
Tracking your period allows you to become more informed about and in control with regards to your body. Advancements in digital health platforms and health technologies like the CareClinic app allow women to record and keep track of their monthly cycle.
Tracking My Period
The best period tracker app allows women to keep documentation of dates and symptoms that occur during their menstrual period. This recorded information can provide you with information about your health and they can also be shared with your healthcare provider.
What are some health concerns?
Every female body is different. Getting your period regularly every month means your body is working as it should. Irregular or painful periods are quite common but can be a sign of a health problem. The definition of an irregular menstrual period is when the length of the cycle is more than 35 days, or if the duration of the period varies. Having period problems can lead to other health problems.
Health problems associated with periods
- Anemia. Heavy periods can lead to iron deficiency anemia. This is a condition that happens slowly, over years. Anemia happens when your blood cannot carry enough oxygen to the different parts of your body because your body does not have enough iron. Your blood cells require iron in order to carry oxygen to the various tissues of your body. People with iron deficiency anemia can feel fatigued or tired and look pale.
- Asthma symptoms might be worse while on your menstrual period. Hormonal levels of progesterone and estrogen decrease during the cycle and for some women, this can worsen their asthma symptoms.
- Depression. The rising and falling of hormone levels during a women’s menstrual cycle can result in both physical and emotional effects. Women who have a history of depression are more likely to experience Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) or Premenstrual Syndrome.
- Heavy, long and/or irregular menstrual cycles can be associated with diabetes. Women between the ages of 18 and 22 who have irregular periods can be more at risk for type 2 diabetes.
- Heart Disease. Having a history of irregular periods can be associated with a higher risk of developing heart disease. This can occur because your ovaries may no longer make estrogen. Estrogen manages your reproductive system but also protects your bones and allows your skin to heal from injury.
- Issues with falling pregnant. Irregular periods can result in difficulties with timing sexual intercourse and conceiving a baby. This is because you might be unsure about the length of your period and when you will be ovulating.
How can a period tracker app help?
Period tracker apps and period tracker bullet journals have become a lot more popular. This is because the best period tracker apps give women autonomy over their personal health. Keeping a log of your symptoms and feelings during your menstrual cycle can help you become more aware about your health.
Tracking your period can help you understand menstrual patterns specific to you. You are able to track your sex drive, pain, cravings and mood swings. Using an all in one health management app like CareClinic can better give you an idea about when you are fertile and help you understand your unique menstrual patterns.
What information should you include in your menstrual cycle tracker app?
CareClinic allows its users to truly make the most out of their personal care plans. With total control and the ability to personalize their experience, users will be able to track their period and be able to keep a record of the following:
- Medicine. Some users take pain medications for menstrual cramps or birth control. Keeping a record and setting a reminder as to when to take these is essential during the menstrual cycle.
- Nutrition. Keeping a consistent diet and avoiding certain foods during your menstrual cycle can allow for a healthier and more consistent cycle. Professionals recommend eating foods that will increase serotonin levels, which can help regulate your mood, appetite, memory and sleep.
- Daily Activity. Exercising during your menstrual period decreases your chances of mood swings and reduces pain.
- Symptom Check: You can use your menstrual cycle tracker app on your iPhone or Android to record symptoms along with details about their onset and severity.
How to track your menstrual symptoms in a period tracker app
On the CareClinic app, the tracking symptoms feature is under your personal CarePlan. Once you log into your CareClinic app, your data is stored safely and you may choose to share your information with your care team.
CareClinic is the best period tracker app for keeping records of any symptoms associated with your menstrual cycle.
When you click to add a symptom, you’ll have the ability to search for a symptom and choose from the ones that are available.
After you add this new symptom, you’ll be able to add the time it started and the ending time along with the severity level from 1-10.
You can track the date when the symptom started, which can help you keep record of whether you are continuously experiencing this sensation (eg. you may only experience pain during the first days of your period and it may be caused by specific triggers).
You can set a daily reminder to ensure you are tracking your symptoms consistently over time.
This is optional but can be very useful for specific circumstances. For example, you may need to take a pain medication at a specific time due to constant cramping.
Under Reports, you will be able to see a log that includes everything you have added thus far in your care plan and during your daily check-in. This can help you increase your awareness of your overall wellness daily during your cycle. You can view your symptoms over time in the form of graphs or a calendar for period tracking. You will then be able to link your symptoms to any possible triggers or health conditions that you have inputted to the app.
What should you record in your calendar for period tracking?
Aspects that should be monitored, as recommended by health care professionals, are:
Changes in mood during a cycle
A lot can change when women are on their period due to their fluctuating hormone levels. Tracking how you feel as soon as your cycle approaches will allow you to learn more about yourself and your personal habits.
An example of something a woman might notice track is one moment, they are freely hanging out with their friends and going about their day, and the next, they are suddenly annoyed and upset. By keeping a mood diary log on the CareClinic app, you will better know when to expect and how to cope with mood changes.
Period heaviness by day
When is your period the heaviest? Do you start spotting for the first two days? Do you start off your cycle with a heavy flow and then spot the following days? Knowing this will allow you to understand which types of pads or tampons to purchase. Anticipating your need will make your life much easier.
When noting this down in your period tracker app, you might also want to record any unusual vaginal discharge and share this information with your health care provider.
Changes in appetite
Some women may notice specific cravings leading up to their menstrual period. Compulsive eating is common in the days leading up to a period. Compulsive eating is when someone feels compelled to eat when they are not hungry and cannot stop even if they have had enough. Sometimes this can be a serious issue and can lead to an eating disorder.
Increased craving for carbohydrates and sugars before a period is associated with the changing levels of estrogen and progesterone. Carbohydrates and sugars can help relieve lowered mood and weakness that often occur prior to the arrival of a woman’s period.
For example, many women may find that they tend to eat on sight the first and second days of their period. Having this written down and noted on the CareClinic app will allow you to have a lot of healthier snacks handy when your period arrives in order to cater to those urges.
Changes in energy level
A large number of women go through a change in energy level prior to getting their period and during their cycle. Some women might report low levels of energy during their period, while others might have way more energy than usual during their period.
Here are some examples of fluctuating energy level you might want to report on your CareClinic app:
- Do you experience a headache on the first day of your period?
- Nauseous feeling on the second day of your period?
- Fatigue and exhaustion on the third day of your period?
- How long do you tend to have cramps? Are they during the first 3 days of your cycle or longer?
Noting these energy changes can allow you to better understand your body. This will allow you to not be hit unexpectedly by your body’s reactions during your menstrual cycle.
Best period tracker app to help with conceiving
One of the main reasons a lot of health professionals recommend tracking your period is to know when you are most fertile. This is helpful for those who are looking to fall pregnant. There is a misconception that you can only conceive the day of your ovulation. Rather, women have a fertile window, which is a time period when the egg released from a woman’s ovary during her menstrual cycle is most likely to be fertilized.
What is a fertile window?
The fertile window is the day that an egg is released from the ovary and the five days beforehand. Therefore, the fertile window is around 6 days long. This includes the day of ovulation and it is also the length of time that a sperm can live in the female reproductive system to fertilize the egg.
Ovulation happens usually about 12-14 days before your next period begins. During ovulation, an egg is released from your ovary into the fallopian tubes. When this egg is released, it may be fertilized by a sperm or it may not. If it is not fertilized by a sperm, the egg disintegrates and the uterine lining will shed – this is when menstruation starts.
With the CareClinic app, you will be able to have direct access to a calendar for period tracking. After you do your daily check-in on the app, you will then post these which will lead you to your daily or weekly report section.
A women’s cycle length could be between 24 and 38 days. This is generally considered normal. Once you are able to determine whether you have a regular menstrual cycle, you can pay further attention to your fertility window and predict your ovulation day (R).
When am I most fertile?
Having an irregular period can making predicting your fertility window and ovulation date quite difficult. When you have a “regular” cycle, you are most likely ovulating around the same time during each cycle. Therefore, having a regular menstruation cycle makes it easier to determine your fertile window. The CareClinic app can assist with irregular period tracking. Individuals with irregular periods are better able to keep track of their cycle using a period tracker app. This can be extremely helpful in identifying one’s fertile window.
In general, women are most fertile during the three days leading up to and including ovulation. Pregnancy is all about timing, and it is most likely to occur if you have sexual intercourse during your fertile window. Engaging in sexual intercourse three days leading up to and including ovulation gives you a greater chance of becoming pregnant.
As the egg begins to travel down the fallopian tube, it may be fertilized here. The lining of the womb is thick enough for the egg to be implanted in it after the sperm has fertilized the egg.
Scheduling appointments with your healthcare provider
A very helpful aspect of the CareClinic app is that you are able to share your personal CarePlan, which includes your period log and symptoms list, with your healthcare providers. The idea behind this is that it allows your caregiver to easily view your treatment progress remotely. The app allows for better communication and collaboration between you and your caregiver.
Attending appointments can sometimes be overwhelming. With the CareClinic app, you will have access to these details readily available for your healthcare provider to review and analyze. You can save appointment dates for yourself, set reminders for them and easily view them in the app’s calendar.
Furthermore, you can share your health data and progress with your primary healthcare provider. They can then closely monitor your health and assess any medical problems. Your primary healthcare provider will be there to help you at any time and place. Your health information is easily accessible to both you and your healthcare providers.
CareClinic, the best (free) period tracker App
CareClinic is not just the best period tracker app for logging your symptoms and mood. It is an all in one healthcare management tool which aims to empower you to learn more about your body and take charge of your health. You can download CareClinic for free on Android and iOS.
CareClinic is a free and helpful comprehensive tool that allows you to have more control over your own personal care plan. It can draw information from wearables and other applications such as Apple Health as well.
CareClinic serves as an easy, user-friendly app that can log periods and track symptoms. The app also includes reminders that can be sent through the app to ensure you are tracking your symptoms. You can also input diary entries to keep record of specific details regarding your symptoms and mood.
Apart from keeping a consistent period tracking log, CareClinic allows app users to set personal reminders. These reminders help ensure that you are taking your medications, for example, hormonal birth control, on time.
Here is a short video about how you can use CareClinic to track symptoms, mood and any other aspect of your health:
