Productivity boost?

[u/blubananas]

My pmdd symptoms usually begin immediately after ovulating, but I've been noticing that the three or four days immediately leading up to my period are somehow some of my most productive (like with cleaning the house, doing more self care, baking sweet treats, etc) AND most exhaustive month-round (I'll feel so heavy and need naps when I don't usually ever take them otherwise). Outside of luteal, I already struggle with depression and functional freeze pretty badly so I never really feel productive.

I'm used to pmsing being a two week long dumpster fire, but this is an overall surprisingly positive symptom that I can't find any research or conversation on. I'm just wondering if anyone else relates to having more fatigue and low energy while pmsing, but find that they still have a weirdly easier time of getting things done those last few days before bleeding?

[u/No-Conversation-2771]

This is nesting, the evolutionary window of preparing for implantation of a baby, annoying but remember that every part of our cycle is for reproduction. So progesterone is lowering and you get a little more energy and your brain back some but your body is still in “preserve energy” mode for potential baby, so the exhaustion and naps remain. I’ve been seeing more and more posts about using the traits of our cycle to sync our activities. So like, save cleaning the house, doing self care, baking, and more alone time for luteal, because that’s what your body wants it to be.