Cycle Syncing: Rituals that Help my Hormones
As you may have read, I’m on a hormone healing journey. I’ve made a ton of lifestyle changes and additions to keep my body happy. The thing about your hormones is that every system in your body plays a part. For example, if your lymphatic system is clogged you’ll be fatigued, bloated and have headaches. If your nervous system is out of whack, meaning constantly in fight or flight mode, your cortisol levels will spike up, which causes anxiety. Healing your hormones is truly a balancing act.
It’s overwhelming to say the least. I’m by no means a professional, but I’m doing as much research as I can to help myself heal. Today I’m sharing some of my favorite rituals outside of exercise and nutrition that have helped me immensely on my healing journey.
Rituals for Supporting my Lymphatic System
When I first started researching about healing my hormones, cleansing the lymphatic system was one of the first recommendations I found. I thought “wow, that’s actually so easy! I can do that.” It was a relief that I didn’t need a ton of money or time to support this system. The idea of cleansing your lymphatic system is to move excess fluid to your lymph nodes so it can drain. I do this by dry brushing my body and using a gua sha on my neck & face.
You can find countless tutorials for these on YouTube or TikTok, but here’s the run down. You always want to start by opening your lymph nodes. Do this by gently pressing on them 5-10 times. Working in small sections (one arm, or one part of the face) at a time, start brushing or moving your gua sha towards the lymph node about 10 times. Repeat on the rest of your body.
Rituals for Regulating my Nervous System
I’ve gotten to know the hormone cortisol really well in the last few months. I had no idea that cortisol was the cause of so much of my anxiety. Have you ever drank coffee and had the jitters? That’s your cortisol going haywire, and having anxiety feels a lot like that. In order to keep cortisol at a normal level, you need to regulate your nervous system. Saying “don’t be stressed” isn’t realistic, but stress is a huge part of this. If you’re chronically stressed, your body is in a constant state of fight or flight mode. You’re surviving, but not really thriving. These are my favorite ways to decompress my nervous system.
Firstly, eat your breakfast and don’t drink coffee (or any caffeine for that matter) on an empty stomach. You should eat your balanced breakfast within 90 minutes of waking up. When I was trying to lose weight I cut out breakfast all together to “save my calories” for lunch & dinner. The result? Constipation. Sorry if that’s TMI, but it’s a fact. Hydrating and eating breakfast first thing really gets things moving. Drinking my caffeine, if I have any, after breakfast eliminates any jitters I used to have. Eating every 3-4 hours will keep your cortisol in check all day long.
The second way I love to help my nervous system is by using the sauna at my gym. The sauna has many studies surrounding its benefits for the adrenal glands and nervous system. Basically, sitting in the sauna activates the opposite of “fight or flight” which is “rest and digest”.
Prioritize Sleep
I love to sleep. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite past times. If I have the chance to take a cat nap, I will. I’m very strict with my sleep routine, as you should be. I’m in bed by 8:30 and usually asleep by 9:30. I wake. up at 6:00. It’s best for your body and hormones to have a consistent sleep schedule. A couple ways I make this attainable is to give myself a little treat when I go to bed. Every night I end my day with either a glass of tart cherry juice or hot tea in bed. Tart cherry juice has natural melatonin in it, which is great for promoting restful sleep. I love the comfort of a hot mug in my hand, so I will drink ginger, peppermint or chamomile tea before bed too.
These rituals might sound like a lot, but they were so easy to incorporate into my everyday routines. I’ve noticed a big difference in my energy levels, anxiety, and overall health. Let me know if you try any of these & follow me on Instagram for more.
