I'm sharing some serious clinical pearls today. This is a quick into intro the wonderful world of working WITH your cycle. For so much of our life we have been taught that our period is a necessary inconvenience, something that has to be put up with for the majority of our adult lives. What a disservice this messaging does for women. Our cycles (the whole thing, not just the period itself), are our superpower. Learning to understand and harness it, that's the trick.
Unlike our male counterparts who have a 24 hours hormonal cycle (which means they can wake up each day and repeat) our cycle is roughly 28 days. And through those ~28 days there is huge variation in energy, need for sleep, mental sharpness, physical capacity, metabolism, and desire.
So here's your 'cheat sheet' on your cycle. For the next month try to notice how your body is feeling at each point and honour it. Notice that you may not be as productive during your late luteal phase (think PMS symptoms) then you are at ovulation. Or that high intensity workouts during your follicular phase feel so much easier than after ovulation.
Stop expecting the "wake up and repeat" model of our male counterparts. Start to understand that power and beauty of working with your cycle vs. against it. The benefits? Your PMS symptoms may just improve, your period cramps lessen and your connection with self deepens.