Self-care During Your Period

Originally published 30/3/2020

Your hormones are an asset.

Yeah I know, that’s not something you’ve been led to believe but it’s the truth! The days of believing your hormones are a burden and that menstruation is something to be talked about under hushed whispers are gone.

Things are changing. The feminine is rising, and more & more women are starting to embrace and celebrate this within themselves.

One of the simplest and most important things you can do as a cycling woman is to embody cycle self-care, especially during your period.

And although a face mask is lovely, that’s not what I’m talking about here. Cycle self-care is deeper and more rewarding than that.

Why is self-care so important during your period?

As you know, self-care in it’s most basic form, is when we intentionally take care of our physical, mental and emotional health. The physical side is typically the easiest, because we know about healthy food and movement.

But the emotional side? Well, that’s a lot harder to navigate because we’re conditioned to believe we should be a certain way, want certain things and feel happy and cheerful all the dang time!

Why do you think PMS has such bad stigma around it? It’s because women are made to feel that the darker and more introverted side of themselves is bad. It makes us a ‘bitch’. Or our feelings are brushed off with labels like ‘moody’ or ‘depression’.

But sister this isn’t true.

Our hormones take us through predictable introverted and extroverted patterns each month, allowing us to care for our loved ones AND care for ourselves. But somehow, we’ve stopped giving to ourselves and instead we’re trying to be ‘outward’ all the time.

Your period is absolutely the time to go ‘inward’ and to care for your own needs as a woman. This is when you fill your cup, so that later, during your follicular and ovulatory phases, you can share your energy with others.

Soul-centred self-care

During your monthly bleed, you’re more in tune with your intuition than at any other time in your cycle. This is because the left and right sides of your brain are communicating strongly.

This gives you the ability to internalize, reflect and work through all of your feelings and emotions about your life, on a less superficial level than at other times during your month.

This is so powerful. When you’re bleeding, you have direct access to your truest, wisest self.

Remember that bit about emotional self-care being more difficult than physical self-care? Well, your soul will tell you what you need to truly care for yourself, if you’re willing and able to slow down and listen to her.

The best time to connect with her is when you have your period.

4 tips to adopt during your menstrual phase

1. Slow down.
This sounds so obvious and yet I’m sure there have been bleeds where nothing slowed for you at all. If pressing ‘pause’ isn’t an option for you, really focus on slowing your day down. Get some extra sleep, swap your cardio for stretching and opt for a book on the couch after work instead of socialising.

2. Tune in.
Now is the perfect time to get still and listen to your intuition. Meditate. Look within. Journal. Sit in your backyard and sip some tea while you stare at the trees. See what comes up for you and then dig a little deeper. What’s the message? Are you clear on your goals and intentions for the coming cycle?

3. Bleed on it.
If there’s something in your life that has you feeling stuck, bleed on it. Do you need to make a big decision? Bleed on it! Mull it over during your period and take advantage of your Inner Wise Woman. Use this time to help find your True North and make tricky decisions.

4. Surrender & let go.
The menstrual phase lends itself to letting go and surrendering to what is. While you’re body lets go, think about what else you might need to let go of. What (or who) isn’t serving you anymore? What circumstances in life are you resisting instead of surrendering to?

Self-care, the way you like it

We’re all different and we all experience our menstrual phase differently.

But the beauty of cycle self-care is that underneath everything, we already know exactly what we need and want. If none of the above suggestions feel right for you, that’s great! It means you’re already listening to your own desires. You should follow those desires and practice period self-care however you want to.

Your period offers you the chance to check in with yourself every month. To recalibrate and rejuvenate.

When we take this opportunity instead of ignoring it or trying to push it aside, we’re able to live a life that is much more aligned with our feminine nature. How lucky are we.

Big Love, Rach xx