Moon and forest by Broo_am (Andy B), on Flickr

It’s been my goal for two years to synch my menstrual cycle with the moon. To ovulate when the moon is full and menstruate when the moon is new. A tad perfectionist, I know. But at the time I was suffering from amenorrhea and wanted desperately to reclaim my cyclical flow. It’s been such an amazing journey, and now, for three cycles in a row I have ovulated exactly on the date of the full moon. Pretty darn amazing if you ask me. I feel so spiritually connected with the rhythms of nature. So in tune with the movement all around me.

So I wanted to share the journey—how you can synch your cycles with those of the rhythms of nature. After all, our bodies are so intimately influenced by the continuous cycles around us, and if your menstrual cycle is absent or irregular, even better! You can borrow from the phases of nature to regulate the phases of your body.

Use Day Light

Just as light cues your body to be awake, and dark cues your body to be asleep, the light of the moon cues your body to ovulate and the dark of the moon cues your body to menstruate. But we have become disconnected from this light. We keep artificial lights on at night and sit indoors during the light of the day. That’s why the first step in finding your cyclical rhythm, is to follow your circadian rhythm: When it’s light outside, keep it light inside. If it’s dark outside, keep it dark inside.

During the day, keep sunglasses to a minimum, especially during your ovulatory phase when your body most needs to absorb the light. During the evening, keep lights to a minimum. My husband and I have only one light that goes on in the evenings; the rest of our house is lit by candlelight. Just before dark, I settle into my nightly ritual of lighting the many candles all over my house and even bathroom. We even brush our teeth by candlelight! At the end of the evening I ceremoniously blow them all out and settle into the darkness of bedtime.

Use Moon Light

Just as important as our daily rhythms, our monthly rhythms are greatly influenced by the phases of the moon. Sleeping with a 100-watt light bulb on during the five days of the full moon has been shown to regulate menstrual cycles and help women sync up with the moon. For that reason, I sleep with a light on during the five days of the full moon and sleep in complete darkness the rest of the month, mimicking the cycles of nature and allowing my body to fall into step.

Light therapy is best done in tune with your body so if you already have a menstrual cycle, no matter how regular, follow the full moon of your body and keep the light on during the five days surrounding your ovulation date. If your menstrual cycles are longer than 35 days in length, turn the light on during days 13-17 of your cycle and then keep it dark the remainder of the month. If you don’t have a menstrual cycle, follow the light of the moon!

If you want to get fancy with your moonlight, there’s an app for that! Luness learns the cycles of your body, automatically lighting up during your ovulatory phase and keeping it dark during your menstrual phase. All you have to do is enter the first day of your period each month and then press the button every night before bed.

 Celebrate The Moon

In addition, I always spend the five days of the full moon celebrating the moonlight by basking in its beautiful rays. Sometimes it’s just a quick drink outdoors, other times I host sacred moon parties with my girlfriends where we drink wine until our lips turn red. By celebrating the moonlight and being aware of its presence we can start to take advantage of the rhythm it offers us. After all, we’ll have plenty of time to sleep when it’s dark, but the full moon is a chance to stay up late and have a party. Hang out with friends or just get out under the moon for a moonlit kayak, horseback ride, or walk down the street. It doesn’t take much, just find a tiny way to celebrate, appreciate, and bathe in the light of the moon!

Get Back to Nature

Finally, just getting outside greatly affects your menstrual cycle. By getting out under the trees, hearing the songs of the birds, and feeling the wind on your skin your body has the opportunity to reconnect, plug back in, and get back in the flow. And when indoors? It doesn’t hurt to keep a window open and have a few plants around. No matter the weather I always make sure fresh air is getting into my home through at least one of my windows.

There are plenty of ways to get your body reconnected with the rhythms of nature. Certainly these are only a few. However you do it, find ways to get out under the moon and back into the wild. The health benefits are endless!

About the author of this post:

elle griffin

Elle Griffin is a natural fertility expert and feminine vitality coach on a mission to help women fall in love with their menstrual cycles and heal their bodies.

Elle is offering Glad Rags readers a chance to read her ebook: Ditch Your Birth Control, all about how you can get off the hormones and onto safe, sexy, birth control for life. Download your free copy here!