Q: Your basal body temperature is your lowest temperature over a period of 24 hours. Your body experiences a slight rise in temperature just after ovulation, and monitoring your basal body temperature over time can help indicate when your peak fertility window is about to begin. Basal body thermometers look basically the same as regular thermometers, but they give more precise readings. They’re available in drugstores and should come with a chart to help you track your temperature every day. A regular thermometer that you might use to check a fever won’t give you exact enough measurements to be helpful. A basal body thermometer measures your temperature’s changes in small increments. The most accurate way to track your temperature is to take it right when you wake up before you get out of bed and start moving around. Keep the thermometer by your bed and make it a habit to take your temperature first thing in the morning.  Most basal body thermometers give you the option of taking your temperature in your mouth or your vagina. Usually, taking your vaginal temperature will give you the most accurate reading from day to day. Whichever way you choose, do it the same way every day to ensure your readings are as consistent as possible. Follow the instructions that came with your thermometer. Generally, you’ll turn on the thermometer and insert it in your vagina or mouth. When you hear it beep, after about 30-60 seconds, remove the thermometer and check the temperature reading. Make sure to sanitize your thermometer after each use. Either wash it with soap and water or wipe it down with a disinfectant. Use the calendar that came with your thermometer, or track it in an app on your phone. Make sure to record the date as well as the exact temperature so you have the best data to help you understand your fertility window better. Period Tracker, Flo, Eve, Cycles, Ovia, and other apps help you track your period and give you space to write down other daily details, like your temperature, mood, and other symptoms. After you ovulate, your temperature will increase a little bit for about 3-4 days. This is a small change, which is why it’s so important to have the most precise temperature readings. Look for an increase of about 0.4-1 degree Fahrenheit (0.7-1.8 degrees Celsius). Chances are, your fertility window has ended. It can take a while to get a good understanding of your basal body temperature, but stick with it! Especially when used along with other tracking methods, it can be a very accurate indicator of fertility so you know when to abstain from sex. Until you’ve taken your temperature consistently for a few months, you shouldn’t rely on this method for pregnancy prevention. If your cycle is regular, 3 months’ worth of data should be enough to help you predict your fertility window in the following months.  If your cycle tends to be irregular, you may need to take your temperature for 6 months or more before you can rely on the patterns that emerge. Illness, stress, alcohol, lack of sleep, and other factors can also affect your body temperature. That’s why it’s a good idea to use this method with other tracking methods to back yourself up in case your temperature pattern is thrown off for some reason. Accurate data is super important to this method. Be consistent with taking your temperature every single day and keeping track of your findings. If you miss a few days each month, it could really throw off your understanding of your body and make it less likely to effectively prevent pregnancy. After 3 or more months of tracking your temperature every day, you can use your findings to try to anticipate when you’ll ovulate next. For the most effective results, use your basal temperature along with tracking your cycle and observing your cervical mucus. Interpret the data in this way:  Look at your chart and find the day when your regular spike in temperature happens each month. On a calendar, mark the 2 or 3 days before this temperature spike as the days when you’re likely to ovulate. Remember, your temperature doesn’t increase until 2-3 days after ovulation. Avoid having unprotected sex for at least 5 days before ovulation is supposed to begin, up through ovulation day.
A: Buy a basal thermometer so you can get a precise temperature reading. Take your basal body temperature at the same time every morning. Track your temperature every day so you can see when it tends to change. Look for a small spike in temperature that lasts 3 days. Keep track for a minimum of 3 months to understand your body’s pattern. Avoid sex during your ovulation and fertility window to prevent pregnancy.

Q: Instead of meditating to clear your mind, focus on being present in the moment and fully aware of your experiences. Find a quiet comfortable place and spend some time focusing on your thoughts. This will sharpen your mentality and make you feel prepared, both of which can help you stay positive. Tell your mind to be still and do nothing other than think from moment to moment. Researchers have shown that mindfulness can reduce stress. This improves positive thinking by decreasing anxiety, low mood, and low energy associated with stress. Begin focusing on your breaths. Notice how you feel emotionally and physically as you inhale and exhale. Make yourself focus on what is going on around you. While taking thoughtful breaths, use your senses to notice what you see, hear, and feel in the room or space. Ask yourself if your body feels tired, relaxed, or stiff. Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings. Deep breathing is a good way to revisit what consumed most of your thoughts and influenced your feelings throughout the day. Consider working with a therapist trained in CBT. This therapy can help you change your current ways of thinking. Since thoughts strongly influence your outlook, begin to change your negative thoughts into positive ones. To do this, you'll need to start noticing your thoughts. Stop yourself when you begin to think a negative thought and reframe it to become positive. For example, if you're stuck waiting for a bus, appreciate the time you have to unwind or have a conversation with someone else waiting for the bus. It can be helpful to write down these thoughts in order to help you reframe them. For example, you might write down a negative thought (like disliking driving in the rain) to something positive (like getting more practice driving in the rain). Part of being positive is feeling hopeful about the future. Setting goals is a good way to focus on the future. You'll also benefit from a boost in self-esteem when you achieve goals. To improve your chances of successfully meeting goals, make sure the goals are:  Written down (Studies shows these are more detailed and likely to be met)  Detailed Realistic Created with a timeframe or deadline in mind Worded positively While being positive all the time may sound like a great idea, you need to be realistic with yourself. There will be times in your life when you simply won't feel positive. In fact, situations may come up that make you legitimately sad or angry. However, you can use a positive outlook to deal with painful emotions and give yourself a sense of hope or acceptance. For example, if you just lost a loved pet, you'll probably feel sad or upset. You can still use positive thinking to remind yourself what you have to appreciate, like the time you had with your pet. Or, you can use positivity to remind yourself that this painful time will pass.
A:
Do mindful meditation. Practice deep breathing. Do Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Write down your goals. Have realistic expectations.