Before we read this post about the clarity phase of the menstrual cycle, have you checked this article about the secretory phase written by a Ballarat naturopath? If not yet, you might want to check that out, too.
After the secretory phase of your cycle, you enter your clarity phase. This occurs over day 21-28 of your cycle. Here the corpus luteum, which is the ‘shell’ of your mature egg left behind, slows down and stops producing progesterone. This leads to low levels of both progesterone and oestrogen.
The fluctuating levels of these levels can lead to premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Around 80% of women experience some form of PMS. You may feel:
- Anxiety, irritability, or have mood swings that are relieved when bleeding starts. It occurs because of the change in balance between oestrogen and progesterone. High oestrogen leads to anxiety while high progesterone leads to depression.
- Sugar craving, fatigue, and headaches. These occur because your body has an increased responsiveness to insulin prior to your period. This can lead to low blood sugar levels.
Eventually, the low hormone levels lead to your uterine lining breaking down, which is part of what becomes your period blood. Your body was also preparing to support a baby, which means increasing blood supply. Some of your blood pools in venous lakes when the blood flow is redirected. This pooled blood is also part of your menstrual flow.
Emotional & Psychological Energies
This is a time where your focus turns inward, you might find yourself less emotionally available to others during this time. It is a time to rest and plan. You can also find yourself in one of two mindsets. You may feel ready to let go and surrender to this time or you may feel frustrated and annoyed by it.
It can be a time of personal insight if you are open to it. You need to be ready to look within yourself and answer the hard questions. Are you happy with where you are at in life?
Seasonal Progression During The Clarity Phase
This is your body’s Winter. It brings with it all the energy of this season. Here are some questions you can consider seeing how you are going during your Winter:
- How am I managing this call inward?
- How am I going with sharing out my responsibilities?
- How is my energy?
- What do I want to let go of this cycle?
- What would be the perfect retreat during my bleeding time?
- What is my vision for the next cycle?
Take the time to really figure some things out. Is there something you don’t want to take with you into your next cycle.
Do the work to clear it out.
If you don’t it will follow you into your next cycle, becoming more entrenched and harder to remove.
Do the work and remove it. Use the winter energy to get rid of the dead weight.
Enable yourself to reborn into a better version of yourself in your next cycle.
Did you like reading this post about the clarity phase in our monthly cycle? If yes, check out these healthcare articles about women’s menstrual cycles and pregnancy issues and learn more. These articles are all prepared by the best naturopath near me.
