I was late to the game, but I found out I wasn't living my best life until I had a period tracker app. Yes, it's easy to tell when Aunt Flo is coming around the mountain when you have a steady period, especially when those period cramps make their entrance. But whether your period is considered irregular or "normal," if those even exist, a period tracker will keep you in check to make sure it can't sneak up on you like you owe it money.
So, which one is the best? Let me just say, there are multiple reasons you need Eve by Glow in your life. This app has the period tracker game on lock. From a forum where you can talk womanhood with other ladies, to the app going above and beyond and tracking everything from your sex patterns to your mood swings, this app has literally thought of everything. If you need an app that will give you all the goods, Eve needs to be your go-to. I have to admit, I was sold on period tracker apps before, but after checking out Eve, I really don't need to go anywhere else. Here's why:
The Messages On The Eve Period Tracker App Are Lit
The customized messages users get from the Eve app are like the best friend that knows everything about your cycle. There's one that literally reads, "Girl, hang in there! Your PMS pains should be almost over." It then not only reminds the user she'll be getting her period within the next couple days, but also to stock up on products so that she'll be ready for its arrival. Who does that? I love it because even on the days when I start my period, there's nothing worse than the moment I look under the sink to grab a pad or tampon only to realize I'm clean out.
All Your Friends Are There
If you've never used Eve before, don't be surprised when you find your new clique in the community. Let me back it up for a second… Yes, Eve has an entire community of its own. There are so many forums where women can dish on everything about being a woman, not just period cycles and whatnot. From getting health tips on vital topics like birth control to swapping sex stories and suggestions, nothing is off limits in this forum. Yeah sis, you've been missing out. What I love about this forum is that even though every woman is different, there's definitely one that has experienced something we're going through. And most likely, she's in the Eve community telling us all how to get through it.
The Eve App Is Not Just For Period Tracking
While the Eve app has been known to be the queen of tracking periods, it does so much more than that. As you give it more information about you, it has the ability to monitor and track things that most of us really don't think about but are important to your body. From my sexual activity and symptoms to my mood, the app not only tells me when I'm most likely to experience certain things, it will sometimes explain why, reminding me that I'm not entirely crazy and that those mood swings and sugar cravings are completely natural. It can also let you know about certain habits and trends you have such as your sleep patterns and how well you're working on your fitness.
The Eve App Is "The Cosmopolitan Of Period Tracker Apps"
This is seriously what I heard about this app. And now that I have it, I can definitely see why. OK, so it tracks your period and does it well. I think we've established that. You won't have any questions about when you'll start your period or how likely you are to get pregnant when you have sex. It monitors your ovulation and helps you better understand your fertility. It also has its own set of emojis that you can use to tell it how you're feeling and why. It has a lot of other really fun aspects like daily sex tips and sex quizzes (I'll take that, thanks). I have to admit, while it seems like a small thing, if you're a woman who's into aesthetically appealing apps and such for your phone, Eve fits the bill with this too. It's almost like a magazine layout that's clean and easy to read.
Eve App
It Looks At Your Health From All Angles
The Eve app is a great one solo. But when it's paired with the Glow Health App, it takes things even further and tracks everything from your steps to your cervical mucus (aka that discharge we all have had so many questions about). It's like all of your favorite health apps combined into one. The website is also a major win, as it provides blogs for topics like IVF and freezing eggs. So, feel free to delete the others and go with Eve (we can all probably use more storage on our phones anyway) and start living your best life.
The app costs $7.99 a month if you want to pay month-to-month, or $47.99 for a year. If you know you're going to need Eve for a lifetime, it's $59.99.
Want more stories like this? Sign up for our newsletter here and check out the related reads below:
This Former Stylist Quit Her Job to Follow Her Purpose of Helping Homeless Women on Their Period - Read More
I Tried Whoopi Goldberg's Weed Products for Period Pain - Read More
The Best Period & Ovulation Tracker Apps in the Game - Read More
I Almost Lost My Life During My Battle with Endometriosis - Read More
Featured image by Getty Images
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RELATED
In fact, aromatherapy is quite powerful when it comes to promoting calm and relaxation, helping to put you into an optimistic mood, reducing stress, preventing insomnia, and improving how soundly you are able to sleep throughout the night. And so, since I’m such an essential oils fan (and I truly am!), let’s get into 10 that will help you to rest well — thanks to the way that they smell along with a few other benefits that they are able to offer you too.
Essential Oils for Better Sleep
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1. Lavender
When it comes to essential oils that are best for you in the “rest and relaxation department,” lavender may be the most popular one. That’s because it is well known for doing everything from reducing pain and inflammation and making menstrual cramps less intense to lowering anxiety and increasing your melatonin levels. On a super scientific note, something else that’s cool about lavender oil is it works with your body’s neurotransmitters in order to reduce restlessness if you happen to be someone who doesn’t sleep soundly due to tossing and turning all throughout the night.
2. Cedarwood
Although I’ve always liked the earthy scent of cedarwood, something that caused it to earn my respect was reading about how it’s an all-natural way to improve the attention span of children who’ve been diagnosed with autism and ADHD. Beyond that, as far as calming oneself goes, cedarwood oil is able to soothe arthritic discomfort, reduce coughing (if a cold is what’s keeping you up), decrease the itchiness and irritation that comes with eczema, lower your stress levels, and, yes, improve your quality of sleep if you’re someone who happens to rest yet not really…rest well.
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3. Patchouli
Another oil that has a solid reputation for decreasing bodily inflammation is patchouli. Some other things that make it stellar are the facts that it helps to ward off depression-related symptoms (if that is what keeps you up at night), puts you in a better mood, boosts your immunity (so that being under the weather doesn’t prevent you from catching some zzz’s) and it even intensifies your libido — ‘cause chile, ain’t nothin’ like the sleep that you get after having an orgasm…or two. Oh, and it absolutely must go on record that patchouli oil also acts as a sedative if you’ve been dealing with insomnia as of late as well.
4. Marjoram
Women who are looking for an all-natural way to regulate their hormones (check out “5 Signs Your Estrogen Is Too High. 5 Signs It's Too Low.”) might want to speak with their doctor (or homeopath) about trying marjoram oil. Some research says that it can help to balance hormones which can make PMS and the latter stages of perimenopause more tolerable (which can make falling and staying asleep easier to do too). Marjoram is also helpful when it comes to reducing pain, easing digestion, and alleviating anxiety.
Plus, since marjoram is an oil that is high in magnesium and magnesium is a nutrient that can help you to get to sleep, stay asleep, and then wake up feeling refreshed — so long as you’re not pregnant or breastfeeding (you should consult your doctor first if you are because it can sometimes produce side effects in your case), you definitely should give marjoram a shot.
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5. Ylang Ylang
Typically, when I think of the essential oil ylang ylang, what comes to my mind is how it can make for a very eventful evening…if you catch my drift (check out “Ultimate Climax Hack? 10 Scents That Make It So Much Easier To Orgasm”); however, it can actually help you out in more areas of your life than just your bedroom. Ylang ylang is another oil that helps to reduce pain and anxiety. Something else to keep in mind about ylang ylang is if you’re having a hard time falling asleep due to something like a headache or even respiratory issues, putting a couple of drops into a diffuser could bring some relief. That’s because ylang ylang is also classified as being a sedative — one that can even help to lower the blood pressure in your bae (healthy men) if need be.
6. Fennel
As a doula, something that I’m well aware of is the fact that fennel seeds can help (some) mothers to produce more breast milk. It doesn’t stop there, though. If sleep is evading you due to gas or constipation, fennel oil can help you out there. Some scientific research also says that it’s the kind of oil that can help you feel less anxious if you’re trying to rest after a long hard day. And, since fennel is known for making sleeping better when it’s in tea form, I don’t see why it wouldn’t do the same thing as an essential oil too.
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7. Valerian Root
If you’re looking for the kind of essential oil that will help you to relax, on pretty much every level, look no further than valerian root. The properties in it are going to help to calm your nervous system, soothe headache tension, lower your stress levels, decrease menstrual cramp discomfort, bring relief to hot flashes (that come with perimenopause) and yes, it’s an all-natural approach to insomnia as well. Although many choose to use it in supplement form, applying valerian root oil to pressure points like your feet can also provide a very relaxing and impactful effect.
8. Jasmine
If you check out my article, “8 Natural Aphrodisiac Scents, Where They Go & How To Make Them Last” from back in the day, you’ll see that jasmine is another essential oil that is considered to be a pretty potential one if you’re looking to boost you (or your partner’s libido). I get why too because its floral-meets-fruity scent can be quite sensual. Beyond the bedroom, jasmine can help you to feel less stressed and anxious, experience less menstrual-related discomfort, and make you feel less depressed — and yes, it contains properties that qualify the oil to be a sedative. This is especially the case if you blend it with another soothing essential oil like lavender.
9. Clary Sage
If pretty much nothing but perimenopause symptoms are what’s keeping you awake at night, you might want to keep a bottle of clary sage oil on your nightstand because it can help to decrease night sweats by naturally “leveling out” the estrogen that may be on a bit of a roller coaster ride in your system right through here. Other things that this oil can do is reduce stress and help to relax your system. Not to mention the fact that if menstrual cramps are what’s keeping you up, some women say that rubbing some of the oil (add a carrier oil like sweet almond or avocado to the oil to dilute it a bit, please) to your abdominal region can provide quite a bit of relief.
10. Vetiver
Final one. In my opinion, it’s kind of surprising that vetiver essential oil isn’t mentioned more in the holistic care space. For starters, it has been celebrated for providing support for children with ADHD as well as decreasing nervousness and anxiety in adults. Some other ways that this oil can benefit you is it’s the kind of aphrodisiac that raises testosterone levels while lowering cortisol ones (cortisol is a stress hormone that’s in your body) which can intensify orgasms and promote great rest — and yes, it’s also mentioned quite often in the sleep-inducing space.
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You know, I once read that since 2010, the amount of people who rely on sleeping pills to get to sleep has pretty much doubled. Since the side effects of the long-term use of over-the-counter sedatives include things like headaches, muscle weakness, digestion issues, and even louder snoring and sleeplessness, consider trying one of these essential oils before popping a pill. As you can see, not only can certain oils help to lull you to sleep — but they can help in so many other areas too. Happy resting, chile.
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