Unlocking Your Body’s Natural Rhythm: The Power of Cycle Syncing
Have you heard of cycle syncing? In this post I’m sharing what it is, how it works, and why it can be beneficial to implement these rituals in your your own monthly cycle.
Now, this blog and my practice is for both men and women. However this post is primarily aimed at women who bleed - or those with a hormonal cycle.
But this doesn’t mean men shouldn’t read this - in fact, quite the contrary! It’s amazing for men to know and understand what’s going on in the bodies of their female friends, partners, wives, sisters, daughters, and colleagues.
Men have a 24 hour hormone cycle which means their testosterone levels rise and fall throughout the day but this comes without symptoms. Mens testosterone is produced overnight meaning they often experience higher confidence, motivation and energy in the morning. And slowly over the day it eases off before starting again that night. For women however, it’s a very different story. Women have (typically) a 28 day cycle though this varies woman to woman but for the sake of this blog I’ll reference a typical length cycle. In women we have 4 main hormones that are affected during our cycle; LH - lutenizing hormone, FSH - follicle stimulating hormone, Oestrogen and Progesterone.
This is what that looks like on a typical months cycle:
Your body’s unique hormonal patterns shape how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally throughout the month.
It could be mood swings, changes in sleep, what you eat, and even how productive you feel. It’s all down to your hormones.
This is especially true for Oestrogen and Progesterone - these are created by your ovaries and impact your nerves, muscles, digestive system, heart, immunity, and your metabolism.
Each menstrual phase has a particular hormone taking the lead - Oestrogen rules the first part and Progesterone takes the lead later on in the cycle.
Understanding your cycle, your hormones, and knowing your body helps you connect with yourself deeper - giving you the insight and tools to make the best decisions for you and your body at each phase of your cycle.
What each phase means
We can split your cycle into 4 main parts. Your menstruation (starting day 1 of your bleed), follicular (this is after you finish bleeding) then ovulation (this is typically around day 14 of your cycle) when you release an egg, and then luteal, this is the final phase before your next bleed.
Here’s what a typical 28 day cycle with 5 day bleed might look like:
Menstruation - Day 1-5 - Least fertile / Has period for some of this time
Follicular - Day 6 - 10 - Possible to conceive
Ovulation - Day 10-16 - Highest chance of conception
Luteal - Day 17 - 28 - Uterine lining thickens again / low chance of conception
The reason it’s important to know when your chances of conception are highest is that you can learn how to track your cycles and ovulation naturally, as a way to either avoid pregnancy or try for conception.
Every woman's body is so different and there really is no standard - so I highly recommend tracking your cycle for a few months to start noticing your unique patterns.
The best cycle tracking apps are:
Flo - flo.health
Try Clue - helloclue.com
Femble - femble.co
Wild - wild.ai
Woman Log - womanlog.com
What to do for each phase
So now you’re starting to see how we have so many things that are affected throughout the month, and how working in alignment with each phase can support your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing PLUS lean into harnessing creative energy and learning when it’s best to do tough decision making.
MENSTRUAL (Day 1-5)
For your menstrual phase chances are you’re feeling a bit tireder than usual and have less energy. This is totally normal and to be expected. Your Oestrogen and LSH are still quite low which explains why most women feel slightly depleted at this point in their cycle.
What to eat: focus on iron rich foods like X and X. Make sure you hydrate well (if you’ve watched my IG in the last year you’ll have seen me talk a lot about water consumption vs actual hydration… long story short, if you’re increasing your water intake make sure you’re also taking a high quality electrolyte to replace any lost minerals that come with flushing out your system)
How to move: some people enjoy movement like walking, yoga, or pilates during your cycle. But the key here is to tune into your body and listen to what will best serve you. There is nothing to say you can’t do a regular weight class or exercise routine, but your body is under some extra stress so you want to be mindful of not overdoing it or overloading your nervous system.
What to supplement: taking an iron supplement and Omega 3 during this time can help with energy and nutrient deficiencies. Also consider taking some vitamin b12 for energy, especially if you eat a primarily plant based diet.
What work to prioritise: a lot of women report bursts of creativity and the ability to make better decisions guided by intuition when bleeding. This could be something you choose to nurture as part of cyclical living.
FOLLICULAR (Day 6-10)
As your Oestrogen rises, your FH and LSH are also increasing which will give you a surge of energy and inspiration! A lot of women report feeling more motivated at this stage in their cycle and craving stronger work outs and often need to sleep a little less.
What to eat: focus on balanced meals and prioritise high quality protein and carbs to sustain your new found energy. You might find you need to eat slightly less at this time of the month and can even do some gentle fasting in the morning if it suits your body.
How to move: as your energy levels increase you can up the work out intensity and increase your movement. Instead of walking you might want to go for a run, and instead of yoga you might opt for a HIIT or weights class instead. Put your new found energy to use and enjoy this time in your cycle.
What to supplement: continue with the b12 to maintain your energy levels and also take Vitamin D to supplement this. You can also introduce things like Cacao and adaptogens to help calm your nervous system in the evenings if you find your energy being too high.
What work to prioritise: this is a great time for setting goals, planning for big projects, and putting in the hours at work. Use your energy and confidence to finish big tasks and plan ahead.
OVULATION (10-16)
This is your peak energy time as your body prepares to release an egg. Your body is at it’s strongest and your hormones are at their highest. You might find yourself feeling extra amazing on or around day 14, with increased sexual arousal and a heightened sense of body awareness.
What to eat: include some antioxidents into your diet at this phase and continue with the protein to sustain your energy.
How to move: enjoy cardio and strength training during this phase but don’t forget to also nurture your nervous system with things like meditation, walking, swimming, and yoga.
What to supplement: vitamin E is known for supporting womens hormone balance and helping with fertility and egg health. Whether or not you’re planning for or trying to conceive, it’s a great supplement to add in to your diet.
What work to prioritise: this is a great time for collaboration and social networking. Your confidence and energy levels are peaking so this would be a great time to schedule in events, speaking, and networking.
LUTEAL (Day 17-28)
Your body is slowing down, your hormones are reducing, your energy levels are starting to dip. So this is the time to be kind to yourself and focus on enriching and nourishing rituals, food, and habits.
What to eat: opt for complex carbs to support your body such as sweet potatoes, cauliflower, whole grains, and non blood sugar spiking carbohydrates. You want to focus on balancing your blood sugar and although your body might be craving chocolate and sugar, try to opt for things such as dates with almond butter, hot cacao with maca, and warming plant based buddha bowls.
How to move: prioritse sleep in this phase as your energy levels drop. You can still workout and move however feels good, but now might be the time to book that new pilates or barre class, or sign up for something like a sauna or spa day instead of heading to the gym.
What to supplement: magnesium is the best for this time of the month, and add B6 into your diet to support your mood and potential PMS symptoms.
What work to prioritise: this is a good time to declutter and organise. Empty your inbox, clear out your google drive, and spend time ‘nesting’ in your work.
My biggest piece of advice for any woman looking to work in line with their cycles is to start tracking and monitoring your hormonal changes throughout the month.
Whether you bleed or not, your body will go through it’s own unique cycle and the best way to connect with it is to spend time listening and learning your own body.
Your cycle can be your super power if you can listen.
Some of my recommendations for reading and learning more about harnessing the power of your cycles below:
Period Power by Maisie Hill - this is one of my top reads maybe ever! Maisie breaks your cycle down in a way that feels accessible but also introduces the magic of cycle syncing.
Woman Code by Alisia Vitti - arguably the most well known period and cycle book. Alyssa also has an app called Flo which is great for tracking your cycle.
Wild Power - Red School - learn how to harness the energy ‘power’ of your cycle with this book written by Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer and Alexandra Pope, founders of Red School.
Hormone Cure - Dr Sara Gottfried - this book, although now over a decade old, is one of the first of it’s kind and Sara has gone on to write many other books demystifying female hormones. Insightful, educational, and inspiring!
Are you curious about how to work in alignment with your cycle? Are you struggling to feel productive through the month, and wondering how to hack your hormones so you can feel more energised, connected to your body, and learn how to work with your body not against it?
I have some spaces for 1:1 Coaching - either my signature 5 month program, or a new 3 session program for those wanting some condensed support.
To enquire, let’s get you booked onto a FREE 45 Min Consult with me and go from there. I’d love to support you.
