Can the Seasons Affect Ovulation? A Sheffield Acupuncturist’s Guide through the lens of TCM
“My cycle looked completely different last month. Is something wrong?”
It is a question I hear in clinic, particularly from women who know their cycle data inside out. They track their temperatures, monitor their LH tests and notice when something does not follow its usual pattern.
As we move into autumn, I am seeing more women questioning those unexpected readings. A temperature rise that looks different. Ovulation that seems harder to pinpoint. A chart that does not quite resemble last month’s.
In my work offering acupuncture in Sheffield, with a particular focus on women’s health and fertility, I want to help patients understand those observations in context.
Your body is a living system, responsive to the world around it. Research suggests that day length may be one influence on reproductive function. But that does not mean we should explain every unusual cycle as “just the season”.
Here is what the evidence tells us, how I think about it in clinic, and what it means if you are tracking your cycle or considering fertility acupuncture.
Can autumn and winter affect your menstrual cycle?
There is evidence of an association between day length and ovulation, but it cannot predict what will happen in your individual cycle.
A 2023 study in Scientific Reports analysed more than 425,000 recorded cycles from Natural Cycles users in Sweden and the United States. Longer days were associated with higher estimated ovulation rates across temperature-based measures. Results using LH tests were less consistent. [1]
That distinction matters. This was an observational study using app data, not a trial in which researchers changed women’s daylight exposure. It does not prove that shorter days cause ovulation problems, or that getting more sunlight improves your chances of pregnancy.
It gives us a reason to explore seasonal context, rather than a reason to make assumptions about an individual chart.
If your cycle changes in October, the season may be part of the picture. Changes in sleep, illness, stress, exercise, nutrition or an underlying health condition may also need consideration.
The “12-hour ovulation shift”: what did the study actually find?
An older study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in 1982, examined the onset of the luteinising hormone, or LH, surge across 75 menstrual cycles. [2]
The most common three-hour window for LH-surge onset centred on approximately 3am outside spring and 3pm during spring. The researchers estimated that ovulation happened more often in the evening during autumn and winter, and in the morning during spring.
This is where the idea of a “12-hour shift” comes from. It describes a difference in the clustering of hormone-surge onset in a small study. It does not show that every woman’s ovulation moves by 12 hours between seasons.
It also concerns the time of day, not a shift of several days within the menstrual cycle. It cannot explain, by itself, why someone appears to ovulate on day 20 rather than day 14.
For me, it is an interesting reminder that reproductive rhythms are more complex than a calendar suggests.
Light, melatonin and your body’s internal clock
Light helps synchronise the body’s circadian system, which coordinates daily rhythms such as sleeping and waking. Melatonin is part of that system, signalling biological night.
Researchers have explored connections between light exposure, melatonin and reproductive hormones. However, a review of light and the menstrual cycle highlights that human evidence remains limited, with small studies and differences in how light exposure and cycle changes are measured. [3]
We should therefore be careful with neat explanations such as “more winter melatonin suppresses ovulation”. The relationship is more complicated, and the research does not establish that mechanism as the cause of an individual patient’s cycle change.
What it does encourage is curiosity about the wider context: sleep patterns, shift work, time outdoors and changes in daily routine.
What I am noticing in my Sheffield clinic this autumn
The women bringing me these questions are often highly engaged with their health. They have learned what their usual chart looks like, so an unexpected reading can feel significant.
I understand that. When you are trying to conceive, data can offer reassurance, but it can also create another thing to worry about.
My first step is to look at the pattern with you. What has actually changed? Is it one reading or several cycles? Has your routine changed? Are there symptoms alongside the numbers?
These are clinical observations and conversations, rather than proof of a seasonal effect. I cannot look at a slower temperature rise and conclude that autumn caused it.
But I can help you move from “something must be wrong” towards a clearer picture of what your chart does and does not tell us, and when medical assessment would be appropriate.
The Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective on seasonal health
Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, offers a framework in which health is understood in relation to seasonal change.
Within that framework, autumn is associated with the Metal element and the Lung and Large Intestine systems. Winter is associated with Water and the Kidney system, with an emphasis on rest and conservation. Spring is associated with Wood and the Liver system, movement and growth.
These capitalised terms describe concepts within Chinese medicine. They do not refer simply to the anatomical organs, and they should not be presented as established explanations of reproductive endocrinology.
I value this perspective because it encourages us to notice how we live through different seasons. Do we maintain the same pace despite feeling more tired? Has our sleep changed? Are we making space for rest?
Modern seasonal research creates an interesting conversation alongside this tradition. It does not scientifically validate concepts such as Kidney Jing or Liver Qi, or show that following TCM seasonal practices improves fertility.
For me, the practical value lies in paying attention to the person and their circumstances, alongside their symptoms and medical care.
Where does fertility acupuncture fit into this picture?
At Life + Lemons, we offer complementary care for people navigating natural conception or fertility treatment.
My approach is to offer individualised care with clear expectations, while recognising when further investigation or referral is needed. Acupuncture should sit alongside appropriate medical care rather than delay it.
If you are undergoing fertility treatment, you can also read about our Acupuncture for IVF services here: https://www.lifeandlemons.clinic/ivf-support-acupuncture/.
What seasonal research means for cycle tracking
The most useful response to this research is to stay curious about your own pattern.
Record observations over time, rather than trying to make every cycle match an ideal chart. Note changes in your routine as well as temperatures or test results. An LH test detects a hormone rise; it does not, by itself, confirm that ovulation has occurred. [4]
Regular cycles are generally reassuring. ASRM guidance notes that women with regular 21–35-day cycles usually do not need additional testing to confirm ovulation unless other clinical features warrant it. Occasional cycles without ovulation can happen, but this is different from assuming that repeated absent ovulation is normal. [4]
Seasonal findings are not a reason to change the rules of a fertility-awareness method used for contraception. Follow the instructions of your validated method and seek qualified guidance if you are unsure how to interpret your observations.
Your chart is information to consider alongside your health and circumstances. It is not a monthly test your body has to pass.
Practical ways to approach autumn cycle changes
Make room for a consistent daily rhythm
Notice whether darker mornings have changed when you wake, go outside or wind down. Time outdoors and a regular sleep routine can be useful habits for general wellbeing. They should not be presented as proven ways to correct ovulation or improve fertility.
Keep light-therapy findings in perspective
A small 2007 trial in 22 women with slightly lengthened cycles found changes in reproductive hormones and more ovulatory cycles after a week of morning bright-light exposure compared with dim light. It used a light box under a defined protocol. [5]
That is not the same as evidence that a morning walk treats ovulatory problems. The trial is interesting, but it does not establish light therapy as a routine fertility treatment.
Look beyond the season
Think about what else has changed: illness, medication, sleep, stress, eating patterns or exercise. Bring persistent changes and associated symptoms to a clinician, rather than deciding from a chart alone what has caused them.
Know when to ask for medical advice
If pregnancy is possible and your period is late, take a pregnancy test. The NHS advises seeing your GP if you have missed three periods in a row, or have a missed period with other symptoms such as weight changes or tiredness. [8]
You do not need to wait for three missed periods if you already have concerns about fertility, significant symptoms or persistent cycle changes. Ask for advice appropriate to your circumstances.
Looking for acupuncture in Sheffield for fertility support?
If you have been scrutinising your chart and feeling increasingly worried, I want you to feel able to bring those questions into a conversation.
At Life + Lemons in Nether Edge, Sheffield S11, we offer acupuncture within an individualised approach to women’s health and fertility support. We take time to understand what you are experiencing, explain the role of our care and consider where medical input may be needed.
You can explore our fertility acupuncture service or contact our Sheffield clinicto discuss an appointment.
The aim is to help you understand your body with more context and less pressure to make every month look identical.
FAQ’s
Can the seasons change when I ovulate?
Studies suggest associations between season, day length and reproductive rhythms. However, they cannot predict your ovulation day or explain every individual cycle change. The often-quoted 12-hour finding relates to LH-surge onset in a small study, with ovulation timing estimated. [1,2]
Does a regular period mean I am ovulating?
Regular cycles usually suggest ovulation, although occasional cycles without ovulation can occur. Whether you need testing depends on your history, symptoms and fertility circumstances. [4]
Can fertility acupuncture correct seasonal ovulation changes?
Fertility acupuncture at Life + Lemons is complementary support with individualised discussion of its role and how it can support you. [6,7]
Should I wait until spring to try to conceive or start IVF?
These studies do not establish that delaying attempts to conceive or fertility treatment until spring improves your outcome. Discuss treatment timing with your fertility team rather than basing it on seasonal findings alone.
About Kimberley, Acupuncturist in Sheffield
Kimberley Shepherd is the founder and Lead Acupuncturist of Life + Lemons in Sheffield. A TCM and electro-acupuncturist with a particular focus on women’s health, fertility and pelvic pain, she brings a thoughtful, individualised approach to conversations about symptoms, cycle data and complementary care.
References
1. Shanmugam D et al. (2023). A multi-site study of the relationship between photoperiod and ovulation rate using Natural Cycles data. Scientific Reports, 13, 8379. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-34940-z
2. Testart J, Frydman R, Roger M. (1982). Seasonal influence of diurnal rhythms in the onset of the plasma luteinizing hormone surge in women. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 55(2), 374–377. https://doi.org/10.1210/jcem-55-2-374
3. Vidafar P, Spitschan M. (2023). Light on Shedding: A Review of Sex and Menstrual Cycle Differences in the Physiological Effects of Light in Humans. Journal of Biological Rhythms, 38(1), 15–33. https://doi.org/10.1177/07487304221126785
4. ASRM (2021). Fertility evaluation of infertile women: a committee opinion. https://www.asrm.org/practice-guidance/practice-committee-documents/fertility-evaluation-of-infertile-women-a-committee-opinion-2021/
5. Danilenko KV, Samoilova EA. (2007). Stimulatory Effect of Morning Bright Light on Reproductive Hormones and Ovulation: Results of a Controlled Crossover Trial. PLOS Clinical Trials, 2(2), e7. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pctr.0020007
6. HFEA. Complementary and alternative therapies. https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/complementary-and-alternative-therapies/
7. Cochrane (2025). What are the benefits and harms of acupuncture for women with polycystic ovary syndrome? https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD007689_what-are-benefits-and-harms-acupuncture-women-polycystic-ovary-syndrome
8. NHS. Missed or late periods. https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/missed-or-late-periods/
