What is cycle syncing?

Hey girl hey,

Let's talk cycle syncing because it may just be the best kept secret to helping you get rid of your period problems.

Cycle syncing is the awareness and action of living in congruence with each phase of your menstrual cycle.

Look I get it, none of us were actually taught useful information about our periods. At best we were taught… you bleed once a month, it’ll probably be terrible and painful but don’t worry that’s “normal”, and don’t get pregnant. HEAVY eye roll here because that is just bad information and education all around. If we don’t understand our own bodies and how to listen and take care of them then we create a lifetime of women who feel broken, scared, and unworthy of so much.

First things first, as women we have two internal clocks. Most of us know our first internal clocks, circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm is an internal 24 hour clock that resets daily and we wake and sleep from it. Men’s bodies operate only on that one 24 hour clock. As women, we are extra special so we get a second clock. 

Our second clock, infradian rhythm, starts when we begin menstruation and continues until we cross over menopause. Our body will now also have a 28 day clock (28 days give or take, 28 days is an average # of cycle length). Over that 28 days we transition through four different phases and in each phase our hormones are changing which influences 5 different systems in our body. The four phases of your menstrual cycle are: Menstrual, Follicular, Ovulatory, and Luteal. The 5 systems influenced by our infradian rhythm are : brain, immune system, metabolism, microbiome, and stress response. 

Here are a two examples of this happening that you may not have known what was going on:

• Have you ever noticed you get more hungry about a week out before your period, and cravings are increasing as well? During our Luteal phase of our cycle our body requires more calories because our metabolism raises in preparation for our periods. The cravings are likely due to a blood sugar regulation issue by us not fueling our bodies properly during this time. How many of us have thought our bodies were just trying to sabotage us by asking for more food, or that we should be able to self control our way through it and not in extra calories? I sure as hell have! Good news, your body isn’t broken and it’s not a self control issue, it’s a physiological response in your body that is supposed to happen.
• Have you ever noticed you feel stronger, are able to lift heavier weights, or do higher intensity workouts really well one day and then maybe the next day or few days later that isn’t the case? I struggled with this so much when I was doing CrossFit full time. I would get so pissed off that I could PR (personal record, so lifting as heavy as possible for one repetition) one day and then a few days later not be able to lift anywhere near that PR. Turns out that certain days of our cycle our hormones set up us to be able to lift heavier and build more lean muscle mass, while other days our energy is much lower and lifting heavier or pushing ourselves to the max just can’t be done in the same way. And if you try to do high intensity all month long there are certain days that you are now at a higher risk for injury and to cause the opposite effect you are going for on your metabolism.

That’s just two examples and we will dive way more into this as well, but for today I want you to understand that when we experience things like bad PMS, PMDD, cramps that take you out of your life, heavy periods, fibroids, cysts, anxiety, and depression those are all signs our body is telling us she is not in balance and she needs some help. 

Starting to learn and understand our second internal clock will allow us to change throughout the month in what support we give our body. Our menstrual cycle and periods should be something that we feel comfortable with and aren’t dreading to get. 

I envision a world where every woman and girl understands how her body is designed to work and to be able to make intentional choices to support her. I know then, that women will feel more at home in their bodies than ever before, and they will continue to rise up into their higher selves and the world will be a more beautiful place.

With love, intention, and happy periods,

Madalyn