S<\/span>ometimes I’m more prone to stress or rather cranky. Sometimes I\u2019m full of energy and drive. All of this is very much related to which half of my cycle I\u2019m in. That’s why I record it, to better understand and see the processes of my body. What used to be a flyer, like a small calendar, which was handed to me by my gynecologist, I have digitized and replaced with an app long time ago.<\/p>\n

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For a long time, all this was not important to me. When I stopped taking the pill after more than 11 years, because I am simply no longer convinced of it and I do not want to unnecessarily affect my body hormonally, it was clear to me that I must observe and document my cycle. First, just to know when to expect my period and to find my natural rhythm. Meanwhile, however, to interpret emotional fluctuations, to see my fertility and to draw conclusions about my general condition. Not only is it far cheaper and saves waste, it also gives you a better feel for your own cycle.<\/p>\n

How does cycle tracking work?<\/h5>\n

Analog or with the help of an app, you make note of the first day of the period, the duration of the menstruation as well as all the signs that you want to record during your cycle. Typical symptoms such as breast sensitivity, cramps, fatigue, etc. and the cervical mucus observation are usually preset in apps and can be easily marked. This way, you keep track of important information about your own health and the length of the period \u2013 3-7 days is the norm \u2013 and the total duration of the cycle: 28 days should be average.<\/p>\n

If you want to do it all very accurate, it\u2019s quite an effort. So far, I have used an app where I marked when to start a new cycle, and that’s usually it because I often don\u2019t have that much time. In addition, apps are almost always inaccurate because each body is unique. I also have a basal thermometer, but the daily measurement was so inconvenient for me that unfortunately, I don\u2019t use it and it was basically a bad buy. That’s why lately for cycle tracking I’m using Ava. Ava is a bracelet that does almost all of this on its own.<\/p>\n

Cycle tracking with Ava<\/h5>\n

The Ava bracelet tracks a woman\u2019s cycle in real-time. During sleep, Ava\u2019s sensors collect data on nine different physiological parameters. The algorithm then detects the fertile window. It detects your body’s signals to recognize when you’re entering your fertile window. Ava shows the very first signs that the fertile window is beginning, and confirms when it ends.<\/p>\n

Because Ava is a wearable device, it provides accurate information about the cycle with minimal effort. I wear the bracelet during sleep, synchronize the results with the app on my smartphone in the morning and gain insight e. g. on fertility, sleep, stress, and resting heart rate. Five physiological parameters are displayed in the app as charts, so I can see the patterns and changes throughout my cycle.<\/p>\n