After a report from the University of Cambridge highlighted data security concerns with popular period tracking apps, many are turning to safer alternative methods of following their cycle and symptoms.
In an ideal world, tracking your cycle should be a discreet, empowering experience.
But a new report from the University of Cambridge’s Minderoo Centre reveals a stark reality: your most intimate health data is being harvested and monetised — often without meaningful consent — and may now be compromised by targeted advertising, insurance bias, workplace surveillance and cyberstalking.
As femtech explodes into a $52 billion industry (£38.2 billion), with over 250 million downloads for the top three period‑tracking apps in 2024 alone, Cambridge researchers highlight a disturbing truth: menstrual apps aren’t just handy calendars — they’re data goldmines.
Information on diet, mood, contraception, hormone patterns and sexual activity is being sold to advertisers, insurers and possibly even hostile governments.
But there’s a counter‑movement growing. In response to these concerns, women are turning to alternative methods of tracking their cycles without the use of apps.
Read more: Period tracking apps — how to protect your cycle data
How to track your period without an app
1. Paper calendar or journal
Lucy Jade, a women’s health nutritionist, suggests going old school and using a diary. Make a note of the first day of your period, and this is then day one of your cycle.
Lucy lists key things to make a note of:
- How long you are bleeding for
- Number of days between your periods to help determine cycle length
- Difference in cervical mucus – if it becomes slippery, wet and you notice it more, this can be a sign you are in ovulation
- Any physical symptoms you may experience like bloating, cramps, headaches etc
- How your sleep is, particularly if you get a period of bad sleep
- How your mood is – is there a certain part of your cycle you get mood swings or feel a bit down?
- Exercise and energy levels – can you tackle an activity better on certain days, and others you need a bit more time to get going and recover?
She adds: “All of these symptoms help you to recognise your own individual cycle and how you can then start to understand how to work around your cycle and predict when you need to take a step back and be kinder to yourself.”
Read more: Journalling — benefits, prompts and what happened when I tried it
2. Spreadsheets
A password-protected Excel or Numbers file can be used to track dates, symptoms, and fertility patterns. Smartphones have the capability to access and edit spreadsheets in-app, meaning you can easily update it as you go.
You can make your own spreadsheet, or buy a premade template.
3. Bullet journaling
Popular among those who enjoy creative organisation, bullet journaling your cycle allows for visual representation of menstrual data in a private notebook.
TikTokker AJ Whittier said that in tracking her cycle this way, “not only do I feel more connected to my body, but tracking my cycle this way has also made me recognise trends in my symptoms and flow that I hadn’t picked up on”.
Read more: ‘I got my hormones tested to fix my irregular periods — the results shocked both me and the experts’ – Living 360
@a_whitti Ignore my messy lines! It’s pretty simple to track your period irl. This is what has been working for me for the last year or so. Not only do I feel more connected to my body, but tracking my cycle this way has also made me recognize trends in my symptoms and flow 😬 that I hadn’t picked up on. #period #cycle #tracker #menstralcycle
4. Symptothermal method
This method combines basal body temperature readings to track fertility and ovulation — entirely without technology.
To do this, you’ll need to take your temperature every day (it’s best to do it when you wake up) and note it on a chart.
After a while, you’ll start to notice a slight change in temperature at certain points of the month —it’ll typically be lower at the beginning of a cycle and elevate during ovulation.
Lucy explains: “Typically, a temperature increases around 0.5-1-degree Fahrenheit (0.22-0.56 Celsius) is an indicator you are ovulating.
“This will remain higher until your period again, due to a rise in progesterone during the second half of your cycle.”
She adds: “It is important to track at least three cycles to see if you can notice the different patterns and cycle lengths, don’t just go off one cycle.”
