The first days of your cycle are when both oestrogen and progesterone bottom out. Feeling flatter, needing more sleep, and wanting to move less are not weakness; they are the expected response to that hormonal low. Planning your most demanding days elsewhere in the month is smarter than forcing them here.

This is also the phase where iron matters most, because you are losing it. Fatigue, breathlessness, and hair thinning can follow a heavy or long period as iron stores fall. Pair iron-rich foods such as ragi, amaranth greens, dates, and lentils with a source of vitamin C, and keep tea and coffee at least an hour away from meals so they do not block absorption.

Movement still helps. A walk or easy yoga often eases cramps rather than worsening them, and light activity lifts mood without adding strain. Save intensity for the days ahead when your energy naturally returns.

Key Takeaways

• •Lower energy on your period is normal; plan hard days for later in the cycle.
• •Pair iron-rich food with vitamin C and keep tea away from meals.
• •Gentle movement often eases cramps; save intensity for the follicular phase.

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