Menstruation is a “fifth vital sign,” offering real-time insight into overall health and body function.

PMS is usually mild; severe symptoms are uncommon and treatable with medical and lifestyle support.

Hormonal shifts can boost mood, cognition, and social awareness, though experiences vary by person.

When I was growing up, some of my friends called their menstruation “the curse,” and others whispered, “My friend is visiting.” The second group was closer to the truth because menstruation not only provides fertility information, it also offers biological feedback about overall health and, for some people, social functioning, learning, and resiliency.

1. Menstruation can tell us about our general health.

In fact, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that doctors ask about the menstrual cycle to assess physical functioning. Many call it a “fifth vital sign” because it functions as a real-time, continuous health monitor. In addition to providing fertility information, menstrual cycle patterns can offer useful insight into overall health, and abnormal or changing cycles can sometimes signal endocrine, gynecologic, metabolic, nutritional, or stress-related problems (1, 1a). A regular cycle, however, does not by itself prove that all of these systems are functioning optimally, so don’t miss your checkups.

2. Premenstrual mood changes can be a downer for some, but not for most.

Although some women experience increased irritability and decreased resilience as they approach menstruation each month, only about 3 to 8 percent of women experience changes severe enough to be diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) (2). In fact, most of my patients describe PMS as an inconvenience, not a disaster, and say that, in retrospect, most of the........

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