Period problems? Here's how to support your cycle.

Something that took me WAY TOO LONG to grasp is that as a menstruating woman, my body and mind don't stay the same every single day - we are in a constant state of flux. And what I need every day is going to always change. As we go through the different phases of our menstrual cycle each month, we experience changes in hormones, energy levels, mood, and mental function. Because of these fluctuations that we’re continuously cycling through, the same type of exercise won’t be best for our bodies every day. I used to be that person that would push through an hour of strength training no matter what my body was telling me. Our bodies crave variety to honor these natural fluctuations. Trying to stick to a rigid workout schedule that doesn’t vary or leave room for self-care is what leaves SO many women exhausted, depleted, and not seeing the results they desire. Syncing your workouts to your menstrual cycle can benefit your hormones as well as your mood, your energy, and your results. It can make your daily movement feel more fluid and graceful, and less like a struggle or obligation.

How to tune in:

Listening to and honoring your body, regardless of where you are at during your cycle, is so important for overall health and balance. It’s so important to listen to your body and tap into your intuition throughout the month and see what feels best for you. If you’re getting a very strong gut feeling that something is not the best for you - it's probably not.

 So how do you tune into your body? All it takes is taking a second to pause and do scan your body. Just close your eyes for just a moment and feel into your current energy state. Often, your body will send you messages with tightness or fatigue, or energy - for example, you might be ready to go for a power Pilates class but just need a bit of rest from a yin yoga class. Listening to your body will prevent you from overworking yourself and help to regulate your hormones, which also helps to alleviate common issues like chronic fatigue and adrenal burnout.

 This is even more important when you are taking group exercise classes which were all getting back to. The teacher could be telling you to “go harder” or “push it!,” but ultimately you need to take a moment and tune in to yourself for what feels right. There is an important difference between elevating your workouts to challenge yourself and pushing past your limit to complete burnout.

Learning to listen to respect your body and choose the form of movement that feels best for your mood, energy level, and body will help heal certain period irregularities and ease PMS.

How to support your cycle:

The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long. By tracking, it's helpful to be able to reference what's happening with your cycle to support hormonal balance and regulation throughout the month. Moving your body is a great way to move energy - increasing blood circulation and moving lymphatic fluid.

 Menstruation - At the time of your period, it is most beneficial to slow down and rest. The first couple of days, your body will be calling for calm. As your energy begins to rise, focus on gentle movement.

Exercise: After the first day or two of menstruation, gentle exercises such as stretching, light yoga, and walking to keep the body moving while allowing for repair and rest.

Follicular phase - This phase begins on the first day of menstruation and continues for a week or so after menstruation, is when energy and motivation increase as estrogen begins to increase.

Exercise: After the first days of your menstruation, this is a great time to ease into moderately intense exercises such as hiking and vinyasa yoga.

  Ovulation- This is a short phase in the middle of the cycle. This is the time in your cycle when the body has the most energy and stamina, as estrogen peaks and testosterone + progesterone rise.

Exercise: The body can generally take on strenuous exercise at this time as it has more energy and stamina than at any other cycle phase. Exercise such as strength training, interval training, dance, spin classes, and power Pilates classes are perfect during this phase.

Luteal phase- This is the two weeks leading up to menstruation. During the first half of the phase, you’ll likely have more energy for movement. Listen to your body and tone down your workouts later in the phase as your energy may start to decline in preparation for your period.

Exercise: During the first half of this phase, you can stick with more intense exercise. The second half of this phase is a good time to scale back on the intensity with workouts such as walking, restorative yoga, and traditional pilates.

 In the WBK health and hormones course, I go deeper into how to support your cycle in module 4. We talk about all different period irregularities from amenorrhea and PCOS to endometriosis and fertility issues and how to heal. You can still join now!