Nutritionist warns women against making big decisions a week before their period. Here's why

Hormonal shifts during the luteal phase can lead to your brain feeling foggy. Deepsikha explains how it impairs decision making.

If you have ever found yourself struggling to think clearly, feeling unusually emotional, or second-guessing even simple decisions in the days leading up to your period, you are not imagining it. That foggy, scattered feeling many women experience before menstruation is often the result of real hormonal shifts happening inside the body. As hormone levels fluctuate during this phase of the menstrual cycle, they can subtly affect mood, decision-making, and focus, making even routine choices feel overwhelming.

Read more to find out how the luteal phase affects your brain! (Unsplash)

Deepsikha Jain, a nutritionist with a Master’s degree in Global Public Health Nutrition from the UK and a certified national diabetes educator, is explaining why women may want to avoid making major decisions right before their period. In an Instagram video shared on February 28, she breaks down the biological mechanisms behind the hormonal shifts that can affect cognitive clarity and decision-making during the luteal phase.

What is the luteal phase?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the luteal phase is the final, roughly 14-day stage of the menstrual cycle (typically days 15 to 28), starting after ovulation and ending with the period. Driven by high progesterone, it prepares the uterus for pregnancy, often causing symptoms like bloating, acne, breast tenderness, and mood changes if fertilisation doesn't occur. Deepsikha describes the luteal phase as the week prior to your period.

Hormonal shifts during the luteal phase

According to Deepsikha, during the later stage of the luteal phase, your body undergoes significant hormonal fluctuations. Progesterone levels skyrocket while oestrogen levels are at their lowest. The drop in oestrogen can affect dopamine levels, which in turn affects cognitive functioning and decision-making.

She explains, “Biologically speaking, when you’re close to your period in your luteal phase, your progesterone levels are at its peak, and your oestrogen levels drop significantly, and there is a crazy hormonal shift.”

How does this affect decision-making?

The nutritionist highlights that the drop in oestrogen also leads to a decline in dopamine – often referred to as the “happy hormone.” This shift can have cognitive repercussions during this phase, contributing to symptoms such as brain fog, heightened emotional sensitivity and overall reduced cognitive clarity, which can make it harder to think and focus properly. This is why she cautions against making big life decisions during this phase.

Deepsikha explains, “When your oestrogen levels are at its lowest in your luteal phase, that actually leads to a reduction in dopamine levels as well, which is a happy hormone. That causes brain fog, you are emotionally more sensitive, you have a very poor cognitive function, and you cannot think straight. So possibly, your hormonal shift can actually make you take the wrong decisions.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.