The moon is a powerful force in all our lives. From how we sleep to how we feel, the moon has a part in nearly everything that goes on in our world. But what about your menstrual cycle? Many have turned to the lunar cycle for answers and guidance with their menstrual cycles. Is there really any connection between your menstrual cycle and the moon.
The moon is a powerful force in all our lives. From how we sleep to how we feel, the moon has a part in nearly everything that goes on in our world. But what about your menstrual cycle? Many have turned to the lunar cycle for answers and guidance with their menstrual cycles. Is there really any connection between your menstrual cycle and the moon?
Many women have turned to the lunar cycle for guidance with their menstrual cycles and it turns out there is some truth to those claims. The moon affects your body in many ways, including their sleep cycle and hormonal balance.
The connection between the menstrual cycle and the moon is something scientists have been studying for years. It was first noted back in 1894 by a German-American scientist named Dr. Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz who noticed that ovulation occurred at different times depending on what phase of the moon it was during.
The Moon’s femaleness is there in its spherical pregnant form, in its letters, soft and round, in its darkness and light.
We wax and wane together. We are built of cycles, rhythms, and tides. The phrase “moon time” has for ages been a euphemism for menstruation. When women lived together in clans, their menstrual cycles lined up with each other and the moon cycles. Whether in astrology or ancient culture, the moon’s energy is connected to emotions, intuition, subconscious, and instincts.
The full moon has long been associated with femininity, fertility and renewal. It's also linked to menstruation in some cultures and religions. For example, in the Jewish faith women are instructed to refrain from menstruating during the period of time when the moon is emitting light. In Hinduism, menstrual blood is considered impure, which is why women will often not go into temple or near sacred objects during their periods.
In other cultures, like those of African Americans and Native Americans, menstruation is viewed as a time for purification and a time for personal growth. Women who follow these cultural traditions often avoid socializing or participating in sexual activity during this time to give the body an opportunity to detoxify and regenerate itself for baby making at a later date.
In Ayurveda and Hindu culture
The silvery, liquid-like light and energy of the moon is associated with ojas, spiritual and physical strength and vigour. One who has a lot of ojas is said to have a face that glows like the moon. The moon’s rays nourish the plants growing upon the earth, and being feminine in nature, the moon is also thought to be nourishing to the female species of all living beings on the earth, humans included. And so, when the moon’s light is at its lowest during the new moon, this is the perfect time for women to put a few days aside to focus on cleansing and replenishing body and spirit. It is a time for self-renewal and self-care.
According to Ayurvedic beliefs, women were considered to be lunar in nature while men were considered to be solar. Women were traditionally believed to be healthier when their cycles were in sync with the lunar cycle.
In Ancient Greek culture
The ancient Greeks believed that the moon was a goddess named Selene. She was the daughter of earth and sky, and it was her duty to make sure that things on earth went smoothly. They also believed that she controlled the length of one's life. When someone died, Selene would take them to the underworld.
In Ancient Greece, physicians believed that the moon and the monthly menstrual cycle were in line. While menstruating, women were thought to be spiritually and mentally powerful.
In Indigenous culture
In Indigenous cultures, women have long celebrated the cycles of the moon. This is because their menstrual cycle is often connected with lunar events. For example, during a woman's period, there's less light and less activity on earth. In other words, there are more gravitational forces pulling on her body than at any other time in her cycle.
Women of the Yurok tribe in California believe that women are at the height of her powers during menstruation. They believed that they were all synced with the moon in ancient times. According to the Yurok Women from Buckley’s article, if a woman from the tribe ever fell out of synchronization, she would get back in by sitting in the moonlight and talking to the moon, asking it to balance her.
In ancient times, the female cycle was probably still synchronized with the lunar cycle. Today, however, modern living habits and artificial light have largely changed this synchronous cycle. A team led by Würzburg chronobiologist Charlotte Förster has now used scientific methods to examine the connection between lunar and women's menstrual cycles. The result: The scientists hypothesize that in ancient times human reproductive behavior and the female menstrual cycle were synchronous with the moon but that our modern lifestyles and artificial light have largely changed this synchrony.
We are not as exposed to the direct light and darkness of the moon phases as we once were. Of course light (and noise) pollution can also be disruptive to our sleep patterns and make for a fitful sleep and frequent waking up during the night. This throws off the hormone melatonin, which happens to be linked directly to ovulation regulation and therefore cycle regulation.
There are a few things that you can do to sync your menstrual cycle with the lunar phases. The first is through the improving your relationship to light and dark. If you want to sync with the moon, but struggle to connect with the moonlight in a busy, 24-hour town or city, then take steps to ensure you experience good sleep by using black out blinds or a white noise machine. Also it can be helpful to adopt a sleep-supportive bedtime routine to make sure to get a good night's rest and tap into the quiet rhythm aligned with the moon.
The second way to sync your period is through the use of sleep supporting adaptogens such as ashwagandha and herbs like black cohosh, red clover and alfalfa. These herbs will help with cramping, mood swings, and other menstrual issues that might be bothering you.
Another way to sync your period is through the use of moon-phase foods. Foods that are high in protein are best for this as they provide a balance for hormones during menstruation and ovulation. Try eating more eggs, tofu, chickpeas, lentils, spinach, walnuts and almonds during the first half of your cycle when there's an increased chance of ovulation. Towards the end of your cycle (the second half) stick to more high-fiber foods like apples and pears. These types of foods not only help to regulate hormones but they also help by making it easier to get rid of excess fluid in the body which can be a common side effect during menstruation or periods
