Beyond the myth: Men don't have cycles?
- Welmer van der Wel
- Sep 1, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 13
When we think of hormonal cycles, most of us automatically think of women.
But men experience cycles too — rhythms in their hormones that influence mood, energy, libido, and emotional resilience.
Understanding these cycles is not just a curiosity; it’s a game-changer for emotional wellness, self-awareness, and even performance in life, work, and relationships.
The Underrated Rhythm: A Man's Hormonal Cycle and Emotional Wellness
It’s a common misconception that men are hormonally steady. The truth is, men experience significant hormonal ebbs and flows, most notably with testosterone. Testosterone isn’t just about libido or muscle; it influences mood, confidence, energy, and stress tolerance. These shifts occur on both short-term (daily) and longer-term cycles.
The 24-Hour Testosterone Cycle
Testosterone levels peak in the early morning and gradually decline throughout the day. This cycle influences:
Morning alertness and motivation: Higher testosterone in the morning correlates with energy and drive.
Mood and confidence: Peaks can coincide with feelings of assertiveness or courage, while dips may increase sensitivity or irritability.
Stress response: Fluctuations affect how we experience pressure or conflict. Low points can heighten stress sensitivity or emotional reactivity.
Recognizing these natural rhythms can help men work with their biology rather than fight it, reducing frustration and self-criticism.
Cycles and Emotional Awareness
Hormonal shifts also affect emotional states. Men may notice:
Morning bursts of focus or decisiveness
Afternoon or evening dips in energy or patience
Heightened emotional reactivity during lower testosterone periods
This isn’t a sign of weakness — it’s a biological rhythm signaling opportunities for self-care, reflection, or strategic action.
Your Body as a Barometer
One of the most powerful tools men have is their body itself. Tension in the shoulders, jaw clenching, restlessness, or fatigue aren’t just inconveniences — they’re signals from your nervous system. Learning to notice these signs helps men anticipate dips in energy, emotional reactivity, or stress tolerance before they escalate.
Practical ways to use your body as a barometer:
Daily check-ins: Notice tension, breathing patterns, and overall energy.
Movement: Short walks, stretching, or intentional breathwork can reset the nervous system.
Rest: Honor your body’s cues to pause, even briefly — it’s not laziness; it’s alignment with biology.
When men start listening to their bodies, they gain early insight into their mood, focus, and emotional capacity, allowing for more intentional choices rather than reactive patterns.
"Vulnerability is not weakness; it's our greatest measure of courage." —Brené Brown
Inner Work for Men
Men often face cultural pressure to “tough it out” or avoid introspection, but vulnerable inner work is essential for emotional resilience.
Self-awareness: Track mood, energy, and reactions alongside hormonal shifts.
Parts Work / Integration: Recognize emotions like anger, shame, or vulnerability as legitimate signals rather than weaknesses.
Shadow Awareness: Hormonal dips often amplify unprocessed emotions. Observing these moments offers insight into patterns that may have been ignored for years.
This inner work helps men develop emotional regulation, self-trust, and a sense of presence — tools that improve all areas of life, including relationships and professional performance.
Understanding Friends and Partners
Being aware of hormonal cycles isn’t just about yourself — it improves relational awareness too. Men aren’t the only ones affected by these rhythms, but their own cycles influence how they show up in relationships.
Notice patterns: Irritability, fatigue, or emotional withdrawal may be tied to natural dips rather than personal shortcomings.
Communicate effectively: Check in with yourself before reacting. Use natural energy peaks for important conversations.
Empathy for others: Recognize that partners or friends also have cycles, histories, and emotional patterns. Awareness allows space for compassion rather than judgment.
Understanding both your own and others’ rhythms can reduce conflict, increase trust, and deepen emotional connection.
Actionable Strategies to Work With Your Rhythm
Track Your Cycle: Keep a journal of mood, energy, and libido. Patterns will emerge over days and weeks.
Align Tasks With Energy Peaks: Schedule high-focus or high-stakes activities during times of peak testosterone.
Rest and Recovery During Dips: Recognize lower-energy periods as natural and plan restorative activities rather than forcing productivity.
Movement and Exercise: Short-term exercise can boost testosterone and mood, creating upward feedback loops.
Nutrition and Sleep: Proper sleep regulates testosterone, while balanced nutrition supports stable energy and mood.
Mindfulness Practices: Meditation, breathwork, and presence can help regulate stress response during hormonal dips.
Emotional Check-Ins: Use natural dips to notice emotional patterns, practice self-compassion, and identify triggers.
By becoming aware of these rhythms, men can cultivate emotional resilience, self-trust, and alignment with their natural biology — a foundation for deeper personal growth.
Hormonal Awareness as a Tool for Self-Mastery
Understanding your hormonal cycles is about more than mood management. It’s an entry point into self-awareness, self-regulation, and presence. Recognizing the body’s cues allows men to:
Reduce impulsive reactions
Strengthen communication and relationships
Engage in work and life with authenticity and grounded energy
Explore deeper emotional and spiritual growth
Rather than seeing biological rhythms as a limitation, they become a guide — a teacher showing you when to act, when to rest, and when to reflect.
Men, Cycles, and Emotional Empowerment
Men’s hormonal cycles are an often-overlooked aspect of emotional wellness. By paying attention to these rhythms, tracking energy and mood patterns, and practicing self-care aligned with natural highs and lows, men can reclaim agency over their emotional and physical states.
The cycles are there, whether you notice them or not; learning to flow with them transforms how you experience yourself and the world.
In essence, understanding your biology isn’t a “luxury” or a sign of weakness — it’s a form of practical self-mastery, a tool to navigate life with clarity, resilience, and presence.
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