There are several ways to track your temperature using Natural Cycles. In this article, you will find instructions for measuring with a basal thermometer.
What kind of thermometer can I use with Natural Cycles?
The Natural Cycles app is designed to work exclusively with approved wearable devices or basal thermometers.
If you choose to measure using a thermometer, it must be a basal thermometer rather than a standard fever thermometer. You can use the Natural Cycles basal thermometer or any other brand of your choice.
Why a basal thermometer? Basal thermometers offer higher precision than regular fever thermometers because they display readings to two decimal places (e.g., 36.55°C / 97.80°F) instead of just one.
When should I measure?
You should always measure your temperature once per day, first thing in the morning right after waking up—before sitting up, snoozing, drinking water, or getting out of bed.
The basal body temperature is your resting temperature, and it is lowest when you sleep. Because your temperature fluctuates with everything you do throughout the day, measuring immediately upon waking provides the most stable and accurate reading for the algorithm.
Tip: Keep your thermometer within arm's reach (such as on your nightstand) so you can measure without having to sit up or move around too much.
Should I measure every day?
To get the most out of Natural Cycles, we recommend measuring at least 5 times per week at roughly the same time every morning (within a ± 2-hour window of your normal waking time).
What if I measure less often? Measuring less than 5 times a week will not affect Natural Cycles' effectiveness as birth control. However, logging less temperature data means the algorithm will be more conservative, which can lead to receiving more Red Days (where protection is needed). Learn more: What happens if I sometimes forget to measure?
When should I exclude my temperature?
Excluding a temperature tells the algorithm to ignore that reading in its calculations. You should exclude your temperature if you slept 2 hours more/less than your usual night of sleep, or if you feel sick or hungover. Learn more: When and how should I exclude my temperature?
Everyday life can sometimes make a standard measuring routine challenging. If your schedule varies, explore these guides on how to measure for your specific situation:
- I work shifts, when should I measure with a basal thermometer?
- My child wakes me up at night, when should I measure?
- I have irregular sleep habits, when should I measure?
Measuring as often as possible will help the app get to know your unique cycle. Although the effectiveness of Natural Cycles as a birth control method will not be affected if you measure less, the more temperature data the algorithm has for your cycles, the more precise the algorithm will be in detecting your fertile window, which could mean more Green Days if your cycle data indicate they are safe to give.
How should I measure?
Please follow the relevant link to access the measuring instructions for your Natural Cycles thermometer:
- NC° Thermometer Gen1 measuring instructions
- NC° Thermometer Gen2 measuring instructions
- NC° Thermometer Gen3 measuring instructions
If you are measuring with a thermometer from a different brand, please make sure to follow the measuring instructions from the manufacturer.