Moon Cycles and Menstrual Cycles

Have you ever paid attention to the moon cycle, and the magical relationship it has with your menstrual cycle? Do you menstruate on the full moon or the new moon? Syncing your menstrual cycle with the moon cycle is a great way to regulate your periods and connect with your natural rhythms. I think a better understanding of the moon cycle and its rhythms and energetic influences can help us better appreciate our menstrual cycles rather than dreading them every month.

Traditionally, women’s menstrual cycles lined up with the phases of the moon. Women would ovulate with the full moon and bleed with the new moon. This is called a White Moon cycle, and it is historically considered the ‘optimal’ cycle. The full moon is linked to ovulation (the most fertile time of a woman’s cycle) because it is the most fertile time for nature in general: plants and crops get a burst of extra light at the full moon, and the ocean tides are higher. It’s as if the earth itself is renewed by the full moon energy.

The new moon, White Moon Cycle, the energy of new moon bleeding is inwards, self-nourishing. New moon menstruation is a strong time of healing and renewal. It is also a time known for fertility and motherhood.

However, some women bleed with the full moon and ovulate with the new moon, this is called a Red Moon cycle. This is often referred to as the Earth’s most fertile time because the extra illumination encourages plants to flourish, and a Red Moon Cycle has interesting traditional connotations; those who experience it are often known as healers, wise women, or medicine women who would historically care for other menstruating women while they themselves were ovulating. The Red Moon Cycle is also associated with creation in the realms of art, business, or other aspects of life beyond pregnancy and childbearing.  

While these historical links can be eye-opening and informative, it’s not necessarily important to get your period during one of these moon phases--although it can be pretty cool when you do! The important thing is to have a healthy cycle that’s consistent for you, meaning your periods are regular and last about the same amount of days month to month.

How to Sync Your Menstrual Cycle to the Moon:

1. Be Aware of What the Moon is doing.

The first step in aligning your body with the moon is to tune into what the moon is doing. Get outside every night if you can and look for the moon. Where is she in the sky? Feel her glow on your skin. If you’re someone who lives in a highly light-polluted area like a big city and you can’t access the moon in this way, I suggest getting yourself a moon phase calendar for the year and put it up somewhere where you can see it everyday. Even this small step will help you start to relate to the moon on a daily basis, and moon-connection magic will begin.

2. Do your best to offset the effects of light pollution on your body.

It used to be that human beings were only exposed to light from either the sun or the moon, but when electricity was invented, our natural rhythms of light and dark became artificially altered, and women’s cycles began to change.

We now live with an incredible amount of light pollution. And because we are so out of touch with the light and dark patterns of the natural world, our cycles don’t always look like they used to. The worst culprits are our screens (like the screen you’re looking at right now!), which emit endocrine-disrupting blue light. This blue light exposure seriously compromises our pineal gland’s ability to make the hormone melatonin, which throws off our ovulatory rhythm and can cause irregularities in our cycle. I would recommend downloading a program like f.lux that changes the light of your screen to a warm orange glow. So when you’re looking at your phone or computer screen at night your melatonin production won’t be compromised. 

3. Create an optimal sleep environment

The darker your bedroom is, the more melatonin you will produce while you sleep. If you can, sleep in a completely dark room: the goal is to not be able to see your hand held in front of your face. You may not need blackout curtains if you live in a more rural area with less light pollution. If you live in a city but don’t want to install blackout shades, a great alternative solution is an eye mask. If you’re trying to shift your ovulation to the full moon, mimic the effects of the moonlight coming through the window by keeping a nightlight by your bed on the full moon.

4. Spend Time in Nature Enjoying Sunlight

Make sure to get as much sunlight as you can during the daylight hours. Go at least for a 20-30 minute walk in nature to connect yourself to Mother Earth and feel the sun against your skin. It’s just as important to your circadian rhythm that you expose yourself to some sunlight.

6. Practice Moon Rituals

Carve out some time during the month to engage in delightful rituals that honor the moon. It could be as simple as lighting a candle and doing some journal-writing. During the full moon, reflect on the things that are ripening in your life. On the new moon, reflect on what your intuition is telling you.

much love xo,

-C