Optimize Your Well-Being with Cycle Synching

As a conscious movement practitioner and health coach, Claudia Germuga is passionate about teaching menstruators to connect to the intelligence of the body. There’s no better time to think about how we can better harmonize our health, and one of the best ways to do so is through cycle synching: the process of aligning our lifestyle, behaviors, nutrition, and mindset with that of our 28-32 menstrual cycle. 

Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle 
Although many of us have been conditioned to view our periods as an inconvenience, the truth is that our menstrual cycle is a key monthly indicator of our hormonal health and overall wellbeing. Having a period is protective to our health, protecting us from things like osteoporosis and heart disease. Understanding the four phases of our cycle is a powerful way to tune into our bodies and align ourselves for true harmony. 

The Four Phases

Follicular Phase
7-10 days
Characterized by an increase in energy, the follicular phase is often compared to our “inner spring,” and is a great time for planning, strategizing, and dreaming. You might start to feel the urge to move your body, get outside, or spend more time with friends and family. Biologically, what’s happening is that your hormones are stimulating a follicle, and follicles are swelling in preparation to release an egg. 

Ovulatory Phase
3-4 days
As our “inner summer,” the ovulatory phase is a time of high-energy feelings, where you’re likely to feel comfortable and confident in your skin, and want to spend time being social and connecting with others. Much of this is due to the fact that this is the phase where you are fertile and can become pregnant, leading to more attraction and magnetism than normal. 

Luteal Phase
10-14 days
During the luteal phase, our energy comes down a bit, and our cortisol levels and metabolism increase, making this a time to be aware of the amount of stress in our lives and begin to wrap up large projects. At this point, your body is preparing to potentially become pregnant (hence the increase in metabolism, making you more hungry, and the boost in cortisol levels). 

Menstrual Phase
3-7 days
What we need most during our menstrual phase is to rest and reflect. Consider taking slower days, allowing yourself space for introspection, and avoiding too strenuous of activities such as challenging workouts. Hormone levels are at their lowest during this phase, and the hemispheres of our brain are able to communicate with each other the most clearly all month. 

Why cycle synching?
Honoring and tuning into each phase of our cycle -- rather than trying to fight what our body naturally needs -- can help us stay in touch with and amplify our wellbeing to reach a thriving state. Not only does this help us tune into our inner timing, but it also helps us anticipate what we might see. If we know that a certain behavior often comes during a specific phase, the process becomes predictable, and we no longer see things like an increase in metabolism or dip in energy as our fault. 

To learn more about the menstrual cycle and how to align with each phase, watch Claudia's tips here and follow her on Instagram @claudia.germuga