how i care for myself throughout my moon (menstrual) cycle
your body is powerful, did you know?
i just want to start by saying that this post is for the girlies :)
if you’re a male friend of mine, you can still read on to better understand how the women in your life (mom/sister/female friends/girlfriend/wife) may experience their moon cycles differently.
this piece is different from my other pieces in a sense that it is less curated and more stream-of-consciousness writing. the female body is beautiful and wild and chaotic and also deeply wise. and so i wanted to pay ode to my body’s wisdom by allowing my words to just flow.
to be loved is to be seen. and there is no greater love than knowing your own body intimately. i started paying attention to how my energy levels change throughout different phases of my monthly cycle about four years ago and feel like i’ve finally got it. we are familiar with the four seasons in a year. but did you know that us women traverse the entirety of four seasons, every single month?
so here’s what i’ve learned about my own cycle - i’m curious to hear how your experience may differ from mine.
my entire cycle is about 25-26 days long, and has been regular for the past couple of years. my period symptoms tend to be fatigue, migraines and cramps.
winter - menstrual phase (lasts 5-7 days for me)
hibernation!!
how i feel: i am relieved that my new moon cycle has arrived. i am happy because i know my mood will start to ease a little, and finally i am eager to turn inward. i am also simultaneously exhausted and in some pain from my cramps, and so i need lots of rest. this is the time to meditate and manifest. i used to dread my period - but now i look at it as a sacred time for me to rest, recalibrate and restore.
how i work: i’ve realised that during this time, it’s best for me to try to slow things down (especially on day 1 and 2). i can tell my brain is eager to shut off and rest. if day 1/2 falls on a work day, i try to take more breaks in between to breathe, to rest and drink warm tea and lean against my hot water bottle.
how i exercise: i usually don’t - at most i’d take walks from day 2/3 onwards.
my social life: i don’t want to talk to anyone until day 3 or so, though i absolutely love cuddling during this season.
food cravings: none, appetite is usually at my lowest, during this period of my life (which is odd because i used to crave a ton of things during my period). i try to take a little more meat, a little more red dates to replenish my iron levels.
interesting fact: i love making plans for the next month when it’s after day 3 of my cycle, because the combination of energy, optimism and clarity that i can tap into is not available during any other phase (unlike how books usually say this burst of energy starts in Spring, the next season)
spring - follicular (lasts 5-6 days for me)
rejuvenation!!
how i feel: a little sad that Winter is over. as i transition over to Spring, my mood tends to range from low to neutral, as i gear up for busier days ahead. but there is this feeling of lightness and optimism, as I find myself needing slightly less time to rest and recharge.
how i work: recharged from much-needed rest during Winter, i feel much more energised to work. i can perform at high levels during this time, though i have to be careful not to do too much too quickly or risk overexerting myself. it is also the season for (spring) cleaning - i am, interestingly, the most motivated to clean during this time. and so i make sure to do a deeper cleanse of my bedroom and my virtual working spaces.
how i exercise: whatever my energy allows me to do - i’m currently enjoying pilates.
my social life: i’m happy and excited to talk. i want to surround myself with people who love and inspire me particularly during this time, as i love feeding off their energy - it sets me up well for the new cycle.
food cravings: none, my appetite has consistently been low during Springtime (which is also a change from previous years of my life when i can feel my appetite creep back up whenever i stop bleeding)
interesting fact: during certain months i feel like the whole of spring Spring can constitute a transitionary period for me. some sources explain that this phase is great for planning and brainstorming and getting things done…but since I get quite a lot of that done in the later stages of my Winter, i am still trying to figure out Spring’s place for me at this point in my life.
in some ways, Spring is the most delicate season for me. if i fill my cup with love from friends and family i become absolutely formidable. words flow from my fingertips like a waterfall, i feel so, so abundant and long to pour into everything and everyone. but the opposite tends to also occur - if i start this season on a sour note, my mood remains low and my appetite vanishes. so important is the need to remember to keep my cup full, particularly now.
summer - ovulatory (lasts 4-5 days for me)
i’m in the mood for dancing
how i feel: most Summers feel absolutely brilliant. i feel my sexiest and my best. but i’ve learned that when life interrupts this powerhouse of a season, it’s also okay to just feel like a potato — even when i’m supposed to be at my most attractive. at the same time, i’ve also realised that when handled well, the emotional high that comes with Summer brings with it great insights about what i want in life. it sometimes even helps me paint an entire roadmap on how to go after my goals. Summer, in addition to Fall, doubles as a time for rapid, introspective downloads. and i love it.
how i work: i feel most, most, most inspired during this season, and i’m not even kidding. ideas come to me in waves with little effort on my part, and sometimes i feel guilty for not writing all of them down. some sources point to Summer as the ‘creative’ and ‘most productive’ season, and i can see why. personally, this is the best season for me to create and produce. and i love that there are so many ways to get the most out of Summer. honestly, i think Summer is way too short.
my social life: please, talk to me. let’s hang out at the beach and talk all day. i want to hug and kiss the life out of my partner.
how i exercise: HIIT baby!
food cravings: it’s a hit or miss for me, honestly.
interesting fact: although i am a homebody through and through, i adore getting out of the house during these few days. visiting the library or the riverside helps me fight that Summer restlessness, and fills me with pure joy.
fall/autumn - luteal (lasts 7-10 days for me)
reflection
how i feel: probably my favourite season. fall is apparently the most intuitive phase of our cycle. during this phase i receive clarity on the things that aren’t working…and why. where in my work i am least productive, which are the relationships that need some fixing, habits that need some mending, and mindsets that need some shifting. i’m now more at ease with befriending the emotions that i used to bemoan and vindicate (anger, irritation, sadness, anxiety). my skin tends to break out in the second half of this season. i start to get migraines and cramps and feel so fatigued.
how i work: for some reason, Fall tends to be my most productive season, until the last few transitionary days just before Winter arrives again and i want to do nothing but rest and introspect. i work fast and well. then towards the tail end, i experience some irritability, mood swings and headaches. the fatigue creep is also extremely real.
food cravings: chocolate. rice and noodles. soup. i’m hungry in the evenings after dinner - i realised that eating a little more during this season actually helps maintain my weight.
how i exercise: same as Spring, except for the last day of Fall (i.e. just before Winter)
interesting fact: i think Fall has always been known as the phase when the much-demonised ‘PMS’ rears its head. but in recent years i’ve found peace in knowing that these sensations are aimed to bring me to a higher level of awareness and love for life. and so i often feel a tingly anticipation for Fall each month. i’ve become so attuned to my body that whenever I enter this season, I reflexively turn inward, and start harvesting for insights.
and that’s what i’ve learned about my own cycle. i’m curious to hear how your experience may differ from mine.
also, here are some books that i think offer a pretty helpful introduction to this topic:
Hormone Intelligence by Aviva Romm
In the Flow by Alisa Vitti
50 Things You Need to Know About Periods by Claire Baker (this was a fun read!)
✿
warmest,
shiying