Hormonal Rampage: When Your Cycle Comes to Work

Hormonal rampage. What a term. What an awkward combination of words.

And yet, sometimes, a surprisingly accurate description of what it can feel like to be a woman in the workplace.

“Why am I being such an arsehole today?”

“Why can’t I concentrate?”

“Why am I suddenly convinced that nobody likes me?”

The truth is, sometimes it’s simply one of those days—and our hormones may be playing a far bigger role than we realise.

Hormonal rampage comes in many forms. There’s the “stay away from me or I’ll crack” variety. The “bloody hell, I’m tired today” edition. And then there’s the particularly delightful spiral of:

“Why am I shit at this?”

“Does anybody even like me?”

“Maybe I should quit my job and move somewhere nobody knows me.”

Talking about hormones at work is still strangely taboo. As women, we can feel expected to perform at our peak 100% of the time. Periods aren’t considered an excuse, and hormones are often dismissed as something we should simply manage quietly.

I’m not saying women should protest or display a warning banner on their desks. Nor am I suggesting we all deserve a week off every month (although some months, that does sound lovely.)

What I am saying is that we can become more proactive. We can learn to recognise our patterns, prepare for them and stop treating every difficult day as evidence that we’re suddenly incompetent.

These monthly troughs are times when we deserve support. But how do you support a woman experiencing a hormonal rampage (particularly when that woman is you)?

PMS, PMDD and knowing when it’s more than a bad day

Most of us know the term PMS, or premenstrual syndrome. Many women experience symptoms in the week or two before their period, and those symptoms can become more noticeable during perimenopause.

There is also a more severe condition called premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD. PMDD can cause significant emotional and psychological symptoms; such as depression, anxiety, anger, hopelessness and difficulty functioning in the lead-up to a period. Symptoms typically ease shortly after the period begins.

PMDD isn’t simply “bad PMS,” and it shouldn’t be self-diagnosed from one rough month. Diagnosis considers the symptoms, how significantly they affect daily life and whether they occur consistently across multiple cycles. If this sounds familiar, it is absolutely worth speaking with a GP or women’s health professional. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health has a helpful PMDD overview here.

No, lovely—you haven’t suddenly become terrible at your job

My point in this slightly random blog is that periods happen. Hormonal rampages happen.

No, lovely, you haven’t suddenly lost your capability overnight. Your body may be working through something, and it’s worth recognising that.

As a woman in the workplace, whether you’re in leadership or any other role, there can be real value in understanding your peaks and troughs.

Ask yourself:

• When am I at my clearest?

• When do I feel unstoppable?

• When does my thinking feel fuzzy?

• When am I more likely to procrastinate?

• When do I feel unusually tired, anxious or self-critical?

Recognising these patterns can help you prepare for the more difficult days. You may also notice that once Aunty Flo actually arrives, the Hulk begins to retreat. At that point, it might be time for appropriate pain relief, a heat pack and whatever version of self-care works for you.

Start tracking what’s happening

If any of this feels familiar, start by tracking your cycle and symptoms.

You can use a dedicated period-tracking app, your phone’s built-in health app or even a notebook. Record your cycle alongside symptoms such as headaches, irritability, fatigue, low mood, anxiety, spotting, sleep changes and bladder leakage.

Hold up… you’re still stuck on bladder leakage, aren’t you?

Yes, it’s a thing, ladies. It can fluctuate at different stages of life and across the month. Get into those Speax.

Anyway, the point is that the more consistently you record, the easier it becomes to spot patterns. It may also give you useful information to take to your doctor if something doesn’t feel right.

Put down the reels and go to bed

Quit watching endless videos of cute dogs and random clips from Chicago Med and get some sleep.

Not too much…but enough.

Many of us have no idea what our natural sleep pattern looks like or how much sleep we genuinely need. Tracking your sleep can help you work out whether you’re tired because you stayed up scrolling TikTok or because something else is happening in your body.

Apps such as RISE can help you understand your sleep patterns and energy levels. Many sleep apps also include breathing and mindfulness exercises, which can be useful when you need to gently tame the Hulk within.

Use the information to plan… (not punish yourself)

Once you’ve gathered some data and confirmed what you perhaps already suspected, you can begin to plan around your patterns where possible.

Maybe don’t schedule that particularly difficult performance conversation on a day when you know you’re likely to feel more reactive.

Maybe decline the after-work drinks when your tolerance for other humans is sitting at approximately minus seven.

Maybe move highly detailed work to the days when your brain feels clearer. On the weeks when you feel unstoppable, use that energy well. On the weeks when everything feels heavier, allow yourself some breathing room.

Of course, workplaces and life won’t always bend neatly around our cycles. The goal isn’t to limit ourselves or assume we can’t handle important things at certain times of the month. It’s simply to understand ourselves well enough to prepare, seek support and practise a little more kindness when things feel harder.

And importantly, none of this means hormones should be used to dismiss women’s emotions, opinions or legitimate concerns. Sometimes you’re hormonal. Sometimes you’re exhausted. And sometimes something at work is genuinely unacceptable.

Two things can be true at once.

Finally, even with all the tracking, planning and self-awareness in the world, sometimes it is more than hormones.

If your symptoms feel overwhelming, interfere with your work or relationships, or leave you feeling unlike yourself, speak with someone. Find a doctor who listens and take it step by step, one day at a time.

And never forget: you are not broken, you are not failing, and you are loved <3