Issue 15: Sleep + The Menstrual Cycle
 

Let's face it, it is hard to begin anew if we are not getting the right amount of rest in our daily routines.

One would hope that during those recent months we were forced to be inside we would have experienced many nights of restful bliss, coming out of our respective quarantines completely rejuvenated...

Yet, instead of feeling rested we are feeling even more exhausted, burnt out, and many have suffered sleepless nights as the uncertainty of our day to day lives continues to grow.

Understanding how our sleep cycle is affected by our menstrual cycle is key, and what better way to study our cycles then in the lab-like conditions of an occasional lockdown.

Pssst... can we tell you a secret... in the next newsletter... we are soft-launching holistic self-care products for each week of your menstrual cycle that we developed in Bali... So forward this newsletter to your sister, your friends, your soulmates, and pretty much anyone who has a moon cycle and wants to get to know their cycle and bodies better through menstrual health products inspired by Bali's healing feminine energy. Have them subscribe so they can be a part of this self-care journey within!

 

Sleep while menstruating

Almost one third of menstruating women report experiencing sleep problems during their moon cycle. Sleep problems during these nights can lead to fatigue the following day. Excessive fatigue can lead to decreased focus, lower energy levels, increased mood swings, and even affect your relationships.

So listen to your body and take it easy. Grab a heating pad and a warm cup of tea.

Chamomile or rose teas are great for relaxing and easing cramps. 
 

Sleep while ovulating

Ovulation is our time to shine and when our energy levels are highest. Estrogen levels also experience a surge leading up to ovulation, which provides a natural mood boost by increasing serotonin levels (or our happy hormones). We also experience a boost in body temperature, and our bodies rest best when they are cooler internally. 

Our body is not the only thing that gets hotter during ovulation, we do too. Women report feeling a bit friskier around this time of the month, which may lead us to fantasizing about or making sweet love with a special someone all night long. 

Along with increasing our appetite for sexual pleasure, estrogen naturally makes us more excited overall, which can lead to insomnia around ovulation—which often time coincides with the full moon for many women. And full moon energy in itself is potent, and able to keep us wide-eyed late into the night. Rumor has it these insomnia-ridden nights are worst during our peak fertility years (20s and 30s) and the impact on our sleep is not so strong as we edge into our 40s. 
 

Drinking a cup of mint tea will help cool the body before bed. 

 

Sleep while premenstrual

In most healthy women, the majority of sleep distrubances occur during this time. The days leading up to menstruation are marked by heightened stress and anxiety, which naturally impacts our ability to fall asleep. However, gas, cramps, sore breasts, and premenstrual cramps can also lead to decreased quality of sleep.

Try sipping on some chamomile and lavender tea before bedtime to unwind and destress during this time. 

A Mantra Meditation


"I am worthy and deserving of all good things."

Mantra meditation is about repeating a simple phrase while meditating, and allowing this phrase to become the object of focus during your meditation. Mantras are great to practice when we feel our mind drifting a lot while sitting in meditation. When you meditate on a mantra simply return to the mantra when your mind wanders into the past or the future. 

This mantra is perfect for this new moon week as we welcome in the energy to let go of whatever we do not need and begin anew.
 

September Inner Child Healing Course

We have partnered with
Scarlet Sage Apothecary in San Francisco
to offer a virtual 3-part inner child healing course
starting next week!

Sign up here!
 

When it comes to beginning anew, there is that heroic act of birthing a child. Adri Parada is birth doula + birth mentor + birth witness, as well as a shining light and soul sister based in Brooklyn. She is a first generation American, and her parents are from El Salvador. 

She's finishing up her doula training and as she nears the finish line of her intensive doula certification she has been working towards over the last couple years, Adri is currently offering her services for FREE. She is also posting wonderful educational content regarding birth on her instagram. 

What is a birth doula?
 

There are many definitions of what doulas do – and from my experience, everyone practices slightly differently.

Birth doulas are trained professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional and evidence-based education to a person throughout pregnancy, birth and the initial postpartum period. They are experts on childbirth and a source of support for both the expecting person and their partner. I recommend meeting with multiple doulas so that you can explore what approach is right for your particular needs in this particular moment in time.


What is one thing you wish all women knew about balancing their bodies?

If we are in true balance + alignment with ourselves – our capabilities are infinite and will be felt on a personal, community, societal + global level.


What is a typical session with you like? 

I offer my guidance as a birth mentor + doula from an evidence-based + client-led perspective. We work together over the course of your pregnancy + birth to help you better understand the physiological birth process, uncover any fears + worries you may have around birth, and ultimately lead you back to yourself so that you feel prepared, confident, safe and at ease moving through birth and the postpartum period.


What is one book you think all women should read? 

Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin


How do you find balance in your body, mind, and life?

Whenever I am feeling scatterbrained and some anxiousness, I know I am reaching a point of imbalance. I aim to keep a consistent morning routine to keep myself at ease: water first thing in the morning, followed by celery juice, and a morning workout followed by a short breathwork meditation.


What is one supplement all women should incorporate into their diet?

There’s no one thing I believe to be the magic something - but water, water, and more water always helps.


What fears do women most often share when they come to work with you?

Most women I talk to are fearful of learning more about birth and what to expect, as if the unknowing is protecting them from something they believe to be greater than them. I often find people searching for help externally, and I always try to remind women that birth is deep in our bones. There is nothing that our bodies don’t already know on some level. Our bodies are fully capable of growing a healthy baby on its own, and with that same knowledge, our bodies know exactly how to birth our babies as well.


How can women become more in touch with their bodies and hormones?

My best advice is to research and learn about cycles + menstruation. It’s truly empowering to understand what your unique “normal” is by paying attention to certain patterns –learning to read those cues is so powerful.


Did your grandmother have a secret health remedy she shared with you?

My Grandmother's name is Rafaela and she was born + grew up in El Salvador. Her secret is that she loves to dance. When she was growing up, dancing was strictly forbidden on religious + moral grounds in her town. She used to tell us stories that her and her sister would hide away and secretly dance on their own regardless of the rules 💪🏽 She would quite literally dance like no one was watching. It's a great reminder for me whenever I am taking myself too seriously, to turn some music on and move my body.


What is one thing you have learned about women's health that you wish all women knew?

That birth is a natural, normal, spiritual and spontaneous biological event – not a medical emergency like our society has created an illusion around.

Thank you Adri!