Note: this article applies to Cyclers using the app with a basal thermometer. If you use an Oura Ring, please refer to the Oura section of Cyclerpedia.
You can use Natural Cycles even if you have an irregular sleeping schedule; the key is to find what works best for you!
We recommend that you try to measure at least five times a week to give the algorithm plenty of data.
Generally speaking, we recommend that you measure around the same time every day after the same amount of sleep, within a ±2 hour window from when you usually wake up.
If you have irregular sleep habits, a tip is to always set an alarm at the same time, for example at 07.00 am, measure as soon as you wake up, and then you can fall back asleep if needed. If you find it challenging to find a consistent time to measure, try to find a consistent measuring time on as many days in the week as possible, even if this means not adding five measurements a week.
If you're changing time zones or changing from working day to a night shift, you should exclude your temperature on the first day, so your body has a chance to get used to the new schedule.
Learn more here:
If you tend to wake up a lot throughout the night, you should measure after the longest stretch of sleep.
Learn more here:
- I wake up during the night, when should I measure?
- My child wakes me up at night, when should I measure?
It all comes down to finding what works best for you. To maintain the habit of measuring, we recommend you still measure and exclude the temperature if it meets the criteria for when to exclude a temperature.
If you have to exclude temperatures, Natural Cycles' effectiveness as a birth control will not be affected. Logging less temperature data means that you will experience a greater amount of red days, where protection is needed, and this may reduce your satisfaction with Natural Cycles. Learn more here.
Note: If you are struggling with your measuring routine, know that you now have the option to use Natural Cycles with an Oura Ring. When wearing an Oura Ring, your temperature trends get measured overnight while you sleep. This means that you no longer need to measure with your oral thermometer as soon as you wake up! Learn more here.