As a woman, do you understand your hormones and how they work with your cycle?
A woman’s menstrual cycle lasts an entire month, not just the week (or less) during her period. The entire cycle can last 21 to 35 days. Any number of days between these is considered normal and healthy.
Those of us working within menstrual awareness, period coaching, and reconnecting women to the natural ebb and flow of their cycle often refer to a ‘28-day cycle’ because this is the average – but fear not if yours is shorter or longer!
If you are thinking that yours is longer, shorter, heavier, or irregular, then let’s take a dive into cycle syncing. There are so many women who don’t understand the four phases of the menstrual cycle. But cycle syncing can make all the difference for hormone harmony!
Living in sync with your menstrual cycle and honouring your beautiful biology, energy, and hormones comes with so many benefits. You may:
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- Have more energy
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- Experience fewer period problems
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- Be way more confident
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- Step into and own your female power
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- Shift your perspective of time and have it work for you rather than running out of it on the daily
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- Feel less stressed about getting more done
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- Maintain a healthy weight
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- Enjoy working more
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- Rid the “Perfection” pressure
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- Be able to hear your intuition
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- Feel happier and more harmonious
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- Wanna bonk more cos your libido has improved
AND SO MUCH MORE!
When you get to know your body, and your hormonal ebbs and flows, you can discover underlying health issues that might have gone unnoticed and see clearly if something changes over time.
So, let’s look at the cycle phases. There are four phases in our monthly cycle, and it’s highly effective when you engage with it and understand how to love and work with it. Productivity and creativity take on a whole new meaning, not to mention stress management and physical health, including less bloating, clearer skin, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Spring AKA Follicular
With cycle syncing, we look at the start of the cycle with spring. Spring is all about the new, like when we reemerge from a post-bleed period. This relates to the follicular phase, or the time after your bleed and before ovulation. Oestrogen rises as an egg prepares for release, a process that lasts 7-10 days.
Summer AKA Ovulatory
This season can be closely related to the ovulation phase. Ovulation releases the egg from the ovary mid-cycle. Oestrogen peaks just beforehand and then drops shortly afterwards. This typically lasts 3-4 days, but sperm can remain fertile for up to 5 days.
Autumn AKA Luteal
This season is all about preparation. Your luteal phase happens between ovulation and before the start of menstruation. During this time, your body is preparing for a possible pregnancy. Progesterone is produced, peaks, and then declines over 10-14 days.
Winter AKA Menstrual
The final phase of your cycle and the end of the year. This is the menstruation phase, or your period. We think of this phase as a period of letting go to shed the uterine lining. Levels of oestrogen and progesterone are low. This phase will last 3-7 days.
The magic within emerges when you connect with your cycle and understand how it works.
Another way to connect deeply with your cycle is by learning the Fertility Awareness Method by Charting Your Cycle – and when you use the code NICOLA, you get 10% off.