Top 5 Period Trackers and Why Men Should Be Using It

The Period - the Big Bad, intimidating, and awkward topic of conversation, most of us dread and try to avoid. Still, like it or not, periods are quite a significant phenomenon that has a real bearing on our everyday life or that of our partners. Even though the experience of having periods is considered a taboo topic to talk about in many cultures freely, there's quite a lot that one can do to ease the pain your partner experiences during their menstruation.
 

We can help improve our partner's period experience and contribute to making it less uncomfortable by learning and being mindful of the hormonal changes happening in their body during their cycle. This awareness can help you, help them to cope better by isolating the source of that needlessly cranky mood or that horrible breakout. This information will give you a window to find an appropriate painkiller, skincare treatment, or even that extra slice of empathy for your menstruating significant other.
 

A one-stop solution to your period education needs is Period Trackers. Period trackers are applications you can download on smartphones and other smart devices that, among other things, help you keep track of your partner's Period. It is crucial to keep track of their menstrual cycle to know when you two might be pregnant, as well as to keep check of their general reproductive health.
 

If you don't want your partner's periods to interfere with a meaningful event in your shared lives, tracking their dates is a good idea. Lucky for you, most period tracker applications do more than just track your partner's Period. Many have inbuilt features to track their mood shifts, their skin and hair health, their ovulation windows, etc. Feeding data into the app allows it to predict the cyclical events in their body, so nothing catches you two off guard, and you don't end up a plan that water skiing trip the day their underwear is a battlefield!

A great all-round app for period tracking that is available for both Android and iPhone users is Clue. The algorithm comes highly recommended by gynecologists who claim to use it themselves. Such users include Dr. Kudesia, who is a pretty famous obstetrician/gynecologist.

Clue claims that if your partner regularly feeds accurate data into their algorithm, it can teach you about how their body works and its biology. Sex Ed is supposed to help men and women get acquainted with their reproductive systems, but, unfortunately, sex education isn't taught the way it should've been. This means that there is a real need for apps like Clue to lead the way. Clue has many widgets where your partner can feed in updates on your skin health, mood shifts, appetite, energy levels, etc. which make it a very holistic application.

One of the most talked-about Period tracker applications is Flo, which is also available on both the App Store and the Play Store. Flo takes data on your period cycles, flow intensities, ovulation indicators, and period symptoms, and graphically presents this data in a very useful and user-friendly way. Such information helps you get acquainted with the biological events in your partner's body. Most OB-GYN professionals recommend that your partner have this data with them when they visit because it can help diagnose any possible abnormalities or health problems your partner may be facing and nip a lot of problems in the bud.

One of the best rated period tracker apps on androids is the Period Tracker Period Calendar, which has great reviews despite being a less heard of application. The best thing about the Period Tracker Period Calendar is that it is very easy and user friendly with a clean non-fussy interface. This is especially useful for a man looking to learn more about their partner's Period and feeling a little out of his depth. This easy to navigate application can be a good place to start your period tracking journey.

A great app for Period tracking for menopausal women or women with reproductive problems that is available for both Android and iPhone users is Mylo. MyFlo can be used by any period-experiencing human but also by their concerned partners. The reason why it works well for reproductive irregularities is that the algorithm has an inbuilt, reproductive problem detecting mechanism that can chart your data and suggest what might be the problem. This is not a substitute for a medical professional's opinion, but it helps to have someone or, in this case, something looking out for your partner between your OB-GYN appointments.

Cycles is a period tracker application that is only available for iPhone users but has a beautiful soothing interface that makes it stand out from some applications that might be a bit on the nose and scream "Period!" out of your screen to everyone within a 2-mile radius. One super cool feature that makes it stand out is a feature that lets your partner share their period information with you, so you can be aware of whether you are in a lot of pain or discomfort. This just generally helps you take better care of your partner and also helps you watch out for those, sometimes, nasty mood swings. Yikes!

One might find it to be a strange or a creepy concept, having a partner track your Period, but if you scratch the surface of that outward weirdness, tracking your partner's cycle can be seen as an act of care.
 
Consent is of the utmost importance, and not everyone feels the same way about everything. Therefore, it's a good idea to establish if your partner is comfortable with you tracking their Period.

Fights are a natural part of relationships, but sometimes they happen because of mood shifts that both a period-having partner and a partner who doesn't have periods, experience. Being mindful that your partner isn't being rude on purpose and it's the hormone talking, might help avoid petty fights caused by irritability in your partner, from being in physical pain and discomfort. This is one guaranteed positive influence that comes from using a period tracker application to track a partner's Period. You will know when you need that extra empathy for a bleeding partner, and we can all use some of that perspective once in a while.

I know that one might have you doing a double-take, but some trans-men who have not gone through gender reconstructive surgery still have periods. Irrespective of gender, period trackers, are very useful for people who have periods.

Boy! I know, big claim, but a lot of internalized sexism stems from a lack of communication between men and women, and there's nothing like knowledge to create room for empathy. Most men have no idea about the scale and intensity of the discomfort that arises from having periods, and most men will also underestimate the real pain that women and others experience because of periods. A little female perspective can go a long way in combating sexist stereotypes.

Having an application that makes you mindful of what your partner is experiencing is a great way to respect and honor their struggle, which only deepens the bond of intimacy you share with them.

A lot of times, pregnancy and reproductive labor is thrust upon women as their sole duty, when, in actuality, the reproductive process is a shared responsibility between two consenting adults engaging in sexual relations. So, whether you and your partner are trying to avoid pregnancy scares or, on the contrary, trying to get pregnant, being up to date on your partner's ovulation cycle and fertility window will increase chances of success.

Even though information about periods and period tracking seems to be a "women's issue," there are a lot of benefits in men participating in these conversations as avid listeners and not sweeping such a vital part of women's experience under the rug. Men using these period tracker applications is something that we should aspire to normalize, as we make an effort to destigmatize the conversation around the Big Bad Period.

Not only is that a good idea, generally, to combat misinformation between the sexes, but, as a matter of fact, men's participation in period tracking, specifically, has real positive effects on people's relationships. Being mindful of what your partner is experiencing inside their body helps you respond better to their needs and makes for all-round better, healthier, and more intimate relationships.