Lesson 2.1 - What Is the Follicular Phase?
The Science Bit (Made Simple)
The follicular phase begins on the first day of your period and lasts until ovulation. It's called the follicular phase because during this time, follicles in your ovaries are maturing, each containing an egg.
At the start of this phase, your hormones are low. But as the days pass, oestrogen begins to rise, slowly and steadily. This rising oestrogen is like the first warm rays of sun after winter. It wakes things up. It stirs energy. It prepares your body for ovulation.
Length: The follicular phase varies from woman to woman and cycle to cycle. It can be anywhere from 10 to 22 days. This is the part of your cycle that changes when your cycle length changes.
What's happening in your body:
- Oestrogen rises
- The uterine lining thickens
- Cervical mucus changes from dry to sticky to creamy to egg-white
- Energy and mood lift
The Inner Season: Spring
If we think of your cycle as an inner calendar, the follicular phase is Spring.
| Spring Qualities | Follicular Phase Qualities |
|---|---|
| New growth | New ideas, new projects |
| Budding | Building energy |
| Light returning | Mood lifting |
| Planting seeds | Starting things |
Just as the earth wakes up after winter, your body wakes up after your period. Energy returns. Mood brightens. Creativity stirs. This is your time for new beginnings.