Despite my journalistic background in women’s health, I was shocked by the impact my cycle had on my mental health. In the days before my period, I’m anxious, frustrated and exhausted. During ovulation, I’m full of beans. The distinction is so stark, it’s amazing that I went 20 years without noticing.

According to experts, 80% of us experience PMS symptoms – and that those range in severity from uncomfortable to debilitating. And, interestingly, researchers have defined the days leading up to that monthly bleed as being a “high-risk” time for the development of mental illness. One review concluded that the likelihood of psychosis, mania, depression, suicide attempts, suicide and alcohol abuse all increased before and during menstruation.

Those more extreme symptoms are rare and tend to be attributed to premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which affects up to 5% of women. If you live with anxiety or depression and find that your symptoms get noticeably worse when your hormones fluctuate, you may be living with premenstrual exacerbation (PME) – one of the most common period-related issues.

“It took me 20 years to work out the link between my periods and poor mental health – period tracking has been transformational”