Your menstrual cycle has a rhythm. When you tune in, you can move in harmony.

Mood swings during PMS aren’t random. They’re the result of hormonal shifts, particularly during the luteal phase (the 10–14 days before your period starts). As progesterone rises and then drops, you may feel more irritable, fatigued, anxious, or emotionally sensitive. And while it can feel like you’re riding an unpredictable wave, science shows that the right tools can help you find steadiness inside the swell.

This is where Open’s 28-day In Sync program comes in. Designed for the unique phases of the menstrual cycle, it offers movement, breathwork, and mindfulness tools to regulate mood, boost clarity, and support your nervous system throughout the month.

Why do mood swings happen during PMS?

Picture your body like a busy factory. In the luteal phase, everything is all hands on deck, working hard behind the scenes. Progesterone rises to support a potential pregnancy. Estrogen dips. Neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine can fluctuate, which affects how you process stress, interact with others, and experience physical sensations.

The result? You become more sensitive: physically, mentally, and emotionally. The decrease in estrogen and progesterone after ovulation can trigger emotional symptoms like irritability, sadness, and anxiety. Disruptions to neurotransmitter levels can also impact mood regulation. This isn’t a weakness or a character flaw. It’s your body going through a natural process.

What to do during a mood swing

Breathwork and mindfulness are widely studied and clinically proven ways to stabilize mood, ease irritability, and support your nervous system during hormonal transitions. 

While these practices won’t eliminate cyclical changes, they can help you better anticipate, prepare for, and work through them. The result is a more harmonious relationship with your body's natural rhythms and greater overall well-being.

1. Physiological Sigh

This simple, science-backed breathing technique helps shift the body from a fight-or-flight state into a rest-and-digest mode.

How to practice:

• Inhale once through the nose.
• Take a short, second inhale through the nose.
• Exhale slowly and fully through the mouth.
• Repeat for 1–2 minutes.

Try it with Open: Sigh High w/ Crussen (10min)

2. Extended Exhale Breathing (4:8)

Lengthening the exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping your body shift into a more relaxed state. Perfect before bed or anytime you need to regulate big emotions.

How to practice:

• Inhale through your nose for a count of 4.
• Exhale through your mouth for a count of 8.
• Repeat for 3–5 minutes.

Try it with Open: 4:8 Calm w/ Ally M (6min)

3. Self-Compassion Meditation

Mood swings often come with self-judgment, criticism, and internal conflict. This practice interrupts that cycle by bringing in kindness, curiosity, and space.

Try this self-inquiry:

"How would I treat a good friend in this moment?”

Practicing Lovingkindness and Gratitude meditations during the Ovulatory phase can help build emotional resilience that carries into the luteal phase.

Try it with Open: On Loving Kindness w/ Manoj D (18min)

4. Interoceptive Awareness

This practice helps you become aware of the inner landscape of your body—heartbeat, breath, and sensations—so you can respond with care rather than react impulsively. Over time, this cultivates emotional intelligence and more stable mood regulation.

How to practice:

Sit or lie down. Close your eyes. Gently scan your body from head to toe. Notice where you feel tension, warmth, energy, or fatigue. Breathe into each sensation without judgment. If your mind wanders, simply bring your attention back to your breath. 

Try it with Open: Body Scan for Presence w/ Alli S (18min)

Breathwork + mindfulness = nervous system support

These practices aren’t about "fixing" you. They’re about meeting yourself where you are. Consistent breathwork, meditation, and movement shift the body’s internal chemistry, lowering cortisol levels, balancing heart rate, and boosting serotonin. That’s the real power of our breath and nervous system attunement.

And when done in harmony with your natural cycle, they help you:

• Sleep better
• Navigate conversations with more clarity
• Feel more connected to yourself
• Build trust in your body’s rhythms

Work with your cycle, not against it 

Most programs treat PMS like a side effect to be suppressed. We treat it as part of the story.

In Sync is a 28-day cycle-synchronizing protocol designed to align your mind, body, and nervous system with your menstrual cycle. From energizing Kapalabhati in the follicular phase to restorative 4-7-8 breathing in the menstrual phase, every practice is timed to support your hormonal flow.

When you align with nature, everything changes. Try Open for free and explore our In Sync program.