Hormone Health & The Menstrual Cycle: A Guide to Cyclical Living for Energy & Balance

Have you ever felt like your energy vanishes for half the month, no matter how hard you push yourself? You're not alone – and you're not broken. In this blog, I share how learning to understand and live in sync with my menstrual cycle changed everything – from how I move and rest, to how I work and create. Plus, I offer practical Ayurvedic tips to nourish your hormones and support your cycle naturally.

It was back in 2018 when I first began to really understand how much my menstrual cycle was affecting my strength.

I’d started going to a brilliant local gym (Curves, if you’re local)  – one with resistance machines that responded to your own effort. For two weeks each month, I could absolutely smash it. I felt strong, energised, and like I could take on anything. But then – almost overnight – my legs turned to jelly. I was showing up and putting in the same effort, but not getting the same results.

Fast forward three years, through my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training and then my 200-hour Well Woman Yoga training, and I finally realised: this wasn’t a failure of strength. It was a gift. A message from my body, asking me to slow down. To tune in. To listen.

We Are Not Linear. We Are Cyclical.

Here’s the thing: as women and menstruating people, our energy doesn’t run on a flat line. It moves in waves – just like the moon. Waxing, full, waning, dark. Our hormones rise and fall, inviting us into different phases of energy, emotion, creativity and rest.

Once I understood this, I stopped fighting my body and started flowing with it.

I used to think it was just “my hormones” – that frustrating narrative we’re fed. You’re fine all month, and then suddenly you’re sobbing in the Boots meal deal aisle because there’s no hummus wrap left.

But actually? There is deep wisdom in our cycles.

The Four Phases of the Menstrual Cycle

Each phase of the menstrual cycle brings its own energy – and its own gifts:

• Menstruation (Winter)
  This is the time to rest, reflect, and listen inwards. Bleeding offers a deep wisdom – the space to vision.

• Follicular Phase (Spring)
  Energy rises again. You may feel clearer, more inspired, ready to take small steps towards something new.

• Ovulation (Summer)
  This is your peak. Oestrogen is high, and your energy often feels magnetic. A beautiful time for visibility, connection, leadership, creativity.

• Luteal Phase (Autumn)
  As progesterone rises and then falls, your energy may draw inward. You might notice what’s not working. It’s a potent time for clarity, discernment, and letting go.

The problem is, we often only focus on the days that feel hard – the Autumn and Winter parts of the cycle, where we might feel tired, irritable, or withdrawn.

But when we learn to embrace the entire cycle, we start to see the bigger picture – and how incredibly powerful it can be.

Your Cycle Is a Tool for Life

Learning to chart my own cycle and live in tune with it has changed how I work, move, and care for myself.

I know when to schedule important meetings, when I’ll have the most energy for big creative projects, and when I need to create more space for rest. 

And here’s the magic bit – understanding your cycle now can support you later in life, too.

Whether you’re in your fertile years, experiencing irregular cycles, or heading into perimenopause or menopause, this inner awareness becomes your anchor.

Even if you don’t bleed, or your cycle has changed, you can still connect to the rhythm of the moon and the energetic seasons it brings. I really recommend reading Wild Power if you’re menstruating or Wise Power (Both by Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer, founders of Red School) if you’re approaching or in Perimenopause or Menopause - There is a huge breadth of knowledge in these books, not just from their own study and experience but those of other women and menstruating people too. 

Hormones Out of Balance? You’re Not Alone.

Throughout life, there are key transitions that can shake things up – menarche (first period), pregnancy, miscarriage, postpartum, perimenopause and menopause.

During these times, hormones fluctuate and your cycle might feel very different from what’s been normal for you.

Symptoms like mood swings, exhaustion, heavier or lighter bleeding, changes in your cycle’s length can all be present at these times – they’re all messages from your body.

And while it can feel disorienting, it’s also an opportunity to deepen your self-awareness and self-care. This is where embracing your cycle can genuinely be life changing. Nourish your body well in spring and reap the rewards in autumn and winter. 

Your reproductive organs are part of your endocrine system – the system that produces your hormones.

But here’s something most people don’t realise: they’re the last part of the body to receive nourishment.

If you’re depleted, burned out or undernourished, your reproductive organs feel it first , impacting hormonal health! 

How to Nourish Your Hormones with Ayurveda

Ayurveda, the ancient sister science of yoga, teaches us that when we live in harmony with nature and our own cycles, balance is possible.

Here are some gentle, practical ways to support hormonal balance using Ayurvedic principles:

1. Eat Warm, Nourishing Foods
Especially during your luteal phase and menstruation, favour warm, grounding meals: think soups, dahls, roasted root vegetables, stewed fruits.
Avoid cold salads or raw foods during this time, as they can aggravate vata (the energy of air and space) and leave you feeling ungrounded.

2. Oil Your Body (Abhyanga)
Self-massage with warm oil calms the nervous system and nourishes your tissues.
Use sesame oil in colder months or coconut oil when it’s hot. Try this before bed or after a warm shower.

3. Support Your Liver
The liver metabolises hormones. Show it love with bitter greens like rocket or dandelion, warm lemon water each morning, and herbs such as turmeric or triphala.

4. Honour Rest
Plan for more downtime during menstruation. Even if you can’t stop completely, reduce your to-do list. Say no. Let yourself turn inwards without guilt and know that your energy will return. 

5. Sync with the Moon
If your cycle is irregular or absent, connect to the lunar phases.
The New Moon mirrors menstruation; the Full Moon reflects ovulation. Let the moon guide your energy rhythm.

Learning to live cyclically is radical in a world that demands we be the same every day. But your cycle is not a burden. It’s a map. A rhythm. A powerful teacher. And when you begin to listen, it will show you exactly what you need.

Would you like a free guide to living in sync with your cycle and the moon?
I’m creating one soon – let me know if you’d like a copy when it’s ready. Email me at info@whileIbreathe.co.uk