De-Stress and Reset Your Female Cycle -- 5 Holistic Tips

The female cycle is dictated by the hormones circulating throughout our bodies, and maintaining a balance of those hormones can be difficult. Especially in today’s society, when there is a tendency to feel more stressed and anxious. Stress hormones, like cortisol, can throw off the natural balance of the female cycle like the flip of a switch—so proper management of stress levels and practicing self-care is the key to naturally resetting the female cycle. 

Sleep. 

Though it may seem like a no brainer, getting enough quality sleep is the key to maintaining a healthy and balanced cycle. The CDC estimates that 1 in 3 adults do not get enough sleep on a daily basis. Sleeping at least 7 hours a night is the minimum amount of sleep that experts recommend to help prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, and mental stress. 

Some ways to ensure you are getting adequate sleep is making sure you are: not looking at any screens at least 1-2 hours before bed time, not drinking caffeine too late into the afternoon, and dimming the lights inside your home the hours leading up to your bedtime. 

Meditate.

Since stress hormones are a primary factor in contributing to cycle imbalances, meditating can be a helpful tool in combating increased stress levels. Studies show that 20 minutes of meditation a day can help lower stress levels, and decrease anxiety, depression, fatigue, and even anger. 

And that’s not all, meditation can also increase the quality of your sleep, improve your relationships, and keep you feeling relaxed and happier for longer periods of time. 

Yin Yoga. 

Yoga has been scientifically proven to help ease women’s stress, anxiety, and depression while also mitigating hormonal imbalances.  

Along with meditation, yin yoga, which is a slower form of yoga, is a great way to balance hormones. Yin yoga is particularly helpful because it encourages us to slow down and reconnect with our “yin” or female energy, in a world that is dominated by a “yang” or masculine “go, go, go” attitude. 

Allowing yin yoga to help you find the space to rest and destress in a world where we are constantly moving and hopping from one task to the next is a great way to reconnect with your body. By reconnecting with the body, you begin to develop your relationship and ability to listen to what your body really needs and familiarize yourself with your own limits. 

Acupuncture. 

Acupuncture has been clinically linked to rebalancing irregular menstrual cycles, improving hormonal imbalances in menopausal women, and aiding fertility issues in women who are hoping to conceive. 

Acupuncture comes from traditional chinese medicine, and it’s approach to balancing “yin,” feminine energy, and “yang,” masculine energy. Despite the sex of the patient, accupuncturists understand that each body has both yin and yang energies. In the same way, we can think of this as female and male hormones. In order for the female cycle to work in a regular and healthy way, both of these types of hormones must be balanced. 

So an acupuncturist will take into account your symptoms, check some areas of your body out (particularly your tongue), and then lightly place needles at specific points in your body to help stimulate and balance your hormones. 

<<READ MORE: Benefits of Acupuncture on Cycle Regulation>>

Limit sugar intake.

A diet with excessive sugar can significantly affect hormonal balance, particularly in the female body. This is because sugar is linked to insulin production in the body, which is closely connected to estrogen levels in the body. When estrogen levels drop, we crave sugar as a quick fix. 

Too much sugar in the body can make things like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) worse over time. To holistically balance your cycle, placing a strong emphasis on a balanced diet, without too many processed foods or sugars, is important.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Learn more about Sara at motheryin.com