Recently, I wrote a post titled Women Were Not Created For the Workforce and used information from the government’s website. Women in the workforce have twice the amount of stress-related diseases than men (heart disease, cancer, and diabetes). Miscarriages and depression are also far higher for women in the workforce. God created us for the home.

A woman by the name of Abbie wrote the following on Twitter:

Women aren’t designed for the 9:00 to 5:00 job. We need to stop pretending that hormones don’t play a major role in how we think, feel, and act day-to-day. The average person starts their day at 9:00 and finishes at 5:00, five days a week. This works well for individuals who are consistent, reliable, and structured. Keep these words in mind as we explore the male 24-hour hormonal cycle.

Men have a 24-hour hormonal cycle (i.e. a 24-hour testosterone cycle) like the sun…

M O R N I N G –– Testosterone is at its highest. Men feel more focused, energetic, competitive, impulsive and ready for sex. Their attitude is ‘let’s dominate today.’ Testosterone supports men to be productive and efficient during the first hours of the day. It’s a perfect time to go to the gym, take risks, and get work done.

A F T E R N O O N –– Testosterone levels  begin to drop which puts men in the mood to connect and socialize. This is the best time to hold meetings, pitch ideas, and network. In fact, one study by YouCanBookMe analyzed data from 2,000,000 responses to 530,000 meeting invitations. They found that mid-afternoon is the best and most popular time to hold meetings. Perhaps this explains why.

 E V E N I N G –– Testosterone levels are at their lowest, and men are more sensitive to estrogen. This is why most men want to relax after work. opting for a less mentally and/or physically taxing activity instead.

The male 24-hour testosterone cycle is reliable, consistent, and structured. Remember those words? Because of this, the 9:00 to 5:00 works well for men. Women, on the other hand, can have a hard time thriving in this environment. Why? Because of the 28-day female hormonal cycle. Women have a 28-day hormonal cycle – like the moon 🌚

There are 4 phases in the cycle:
1. Menstrual
2. Follicular
3. Ovulatory
4. Luteal

A woman’s mood, energy, and physical needs vary depending on where she is in her cycle, and this can change almost every day.

Menstrual Phase (Days 1 – 7)

Progesterone and estrogen are at its lowest. Energy and motivation levels are low. This is a time for restful activities.

Follicular Phase (Days 8 – 13)

Estrogen begins to rise. This is the perfect time to be creative, set goals, and focus as the body starts to re-awaken after shedding.

Ovulatory Phase (Days 14 – 21)

Both estrogen and testosterone peak and drop after ovulation. Energy levels are at their highest due to higher testosterone. This is the best time to do things that take more physical work. NOTE: Even though a woman’s testosterone levels peak during ovulation, they don’t come close to a man’s –– even at the LOWEST point of his 24-hour cycle. Women’s bodies make about one tenth to one twentieth of the amount of testosterone as men.

Luteal Phase (Days 21-28)

Progesterone rises and is the dominant hormone. PMS symptoms emerge and may cause a low mood, irritability, fatigue, etc. Best time to nest and rest. Focus on easy, administrative tasks as motivation and energy is low. Knowing that a woman’s mood, energy levels, and physical needs vary over the course of 28 days, how can she be expected to fit perfectly into the rigid, unchanging structure of the 9:00 to 5:00 job?

On top of that, testosterone clearly plays a major role in one’s energy and motivation levels and yet, women only experience its effects a few days a month. This is a major reason why men and women cannot be expected to work the same because physiologically, we simply aren’t the same. God created us differently for different roles and reasons.

I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
1 Timothy 5:14