Clumsy? Grumpy? Wiped out? You'll probably still need your phone to tell you why, says Sarah Vine

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You’d have thought that, at the ripe old age of 45, I’d have finally got to grips with my cycle. Ha. No such luck. I never seem to have a clue what’s happening, until after the event that is. Even when I’m breaking china (clumsiness seems to be a symptom of PMT for me) and shouting at the kids, the realisation that I’m battling hormones never strikes until after the event, when everyone’s hiding in their bedrooms.

Then I discovered Period Tracker. This fantastic little app not only tracks your monthly cycle, but also gives you a handy guide to where you are in the whole damn malarky (fertile, ovulation, fury etc). It works out your stats (length of cycle etc) and plans ahead for you. Right now, I know I’ve got seven days left, for example, which is useful because it means I probably won’t accept that invitation on Wednesday night, when I shall be bloated, spotty and generally looking like death. You can work out your holidays around it too.

It’s also a very useful little tool for beleaguered husbands and/or significant others, who instead of risking life and limb by asking whether the reason you’ve just stamped on all the ironing might perhaps just maybe, I’m-not-suggesting-that-you’re-grumpy-or-anything have something to do with the time of the month. With this app, they can just look it up - and if necessary arrange to leave the country for a couple of days.

Period Tracker Deluxe by  GP Apps , £1.49