Menstrual Phase 101

Your cycle has come full circle—and now it’s time to rest, release, and rebuild. The menstrual phase isn’t just the start of your period, it’s the beginning of a brand new cycle. Your hormones have dipped to their lowest levels, encouraging you to slow down and turn inward. While the world may expect you to keep up the pace, your body is asking for softness and intention. Let this be your reminder that rest is not a luxury. It’s part of your biology.

Below is your gentle guide for honoring your body during menstruation—because you deserve support, not stress, during this sacred phase.

Menstruation Is Your Inner Winter

Like the seasons, your body moves through natural cycles—and menstruation is your inner winter. It’s a time of quiet, rest, and renewal. Just as winter invites stillness in nature, this phase of your cycle is a signal to retreat and conserve your energy.

Instead of resisting low energy or pushing through fatigue, consider this your time to (realistically!) hibernate. If possible, cancel non-essential plans, go to bed early, and allow your body space to restore itself. The more you embrace your inner winter, the more resilient and radiant you’ll feel when spring—your follicular phase—returns.

5 Simple Ways to Support Your Body

Here’s how to gently honor your physical and emotional well-being during menstruation:

1. Nourish with Comforting, Mineral-Rich Foods

During menstruation, your body loses iron and other key nutrients. This is the time to focus on replenishing with grounding, nourishing meals.

Prioritize:

• Iron-rich foods: grass-fed beef, bison, lentils, spinach, blackstrap molasses
• Warm, easy-to-digest meals: soups, stews, broths, root veggies
• Healthy fats: avocado, tahini, olive oil, coconut
• Anti-inflammatory herbs: ginger, turmeric, cinnamon

Warming foods are especially helpful now. Think slow-cooked meals, herbal teas, and mineral-rich broths that help replenish and soothe from the inside out. Recipes we love to make during this phase: grass-fed beef chili, breakfast ‘poke’ bowl, and orange hot chocolate.

2. Rest and Regulate Your Nervous System

Hormonal dips can heighten your sensitivity to stress, noise, and overstimulation. That’s not weakness—it’s wisdom! Your body is asking for calm and quiet.

Support your nervous system with:

• Magnesium-rich snacks or a beeyavibe scoop before bed
• A slower morning routine—light and candle and stretch
• Mindful breathwork, even for 3–5 minutes
• Cozy rituals: journaling, napping, reading in bed
• Time off social media, if possible

Rest isn’t optional in this phase—it’s restorative. Prioritize it when you can.

3. Move Gently

While it’s totally okay to take a few rest days from exercise, light movement can actually help relieve cramps and boost circulation.

Try:

• Yoga (especially hip-openers)
• Walks (ideally, outside)
• Foam rolling for tension relief
• Lying on the floor with your legs up the wall

The key is to move for relief, not performance. Now’s not the time to chase a new PR.

4. Reduce Output, Increase Intuition

Menstruation is a powerful time for reflection and inner clarity. While your external energy may feel low, your inner awareness is heightened. Use that to your advantage.

Prioritize:

• Journaling: What am I ready to release? What do I want to call in this cycle?
  Planning, not doing: Set intentions, map out your goals, rest before you act
• Saying “no” to over-scheduling
• Creating white space in your calendar

Think of this as your monthly check-in with yourself. Quiet the noise, and your intuition will speak louder.

5. Seed Cycle to Support Hormonal Balance

During the menstrual phase, we return to flax seeds and pumpkin seeds as part of beeya’s seed cycling protocol. These seeds help support estrogen production and keep your cycle flowing smoothly.

Why these seeds?

• Flax seeds contain lignans that support healthy estrogen metabolism
• Pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc and support hormone production and immune health

Add one scoop of seeds daily to your smoothie, oatmeal, or yogurt to support your body through this phase. See the groundbreaking results of our clinical trial!

Low-Lift, Creative Ways to Support Your Body During Your Period

Want to support your body with intention—but without adding another “to-do” to your list? These gentle ideas are nourishing, intuitive, and not your average checklist:

🧺 Swap your to-do list for a “feel good” list.

Instead of powering through tasks, jot down 2–3 things that feel good right now. A cup of tea? Your favorite song to lift your mood? An early shower and fresh PJs? Bagging up clothes that no longer bring you joy? Let that guide your day.

🎧 Listen to your favorite cozy playlist or attend a sound bath.

Sound can be soothing. Make a playlist for your “inner winter” or find a sound bath session in your city. 

🛁 Upgrade your period care.

Try a new menstrual product that’s more aligned with your body (organic pads, period underwear, menstrual cups), or use a soothing salve or essential oil on your lower belly.

🧣Layer up in textures that make you feel safe.

This might sound small, but it’s a game-changer: wear the soft sweater, put on your favorite socks, or curl up under a blanket. Your senses are heightened—make them feel held.

🧽 Do one tiny thing to clear your space.

Tidy your nightstand, buy a fresh bouquet of flowers, or organize that messy drawer in your kitchen. A small shift in your physical space can ease mental tension, especially during this more inward phase.

📺 Watch something comforting—not stimulating.

Choose a familiar show, a nature documentary, or even ASMR content. Your brain doesn’t need plot twists right now—it needs softness.

✉️ Leave yourself a love note.

Yes, really. Write something kind and loving to yourself. Imagine what you’d say to your 8-year-old self if they needed a hug. Keep this note in your bathroom or purse. You’ll thank yourself when your inner critic tries to sneak in.

Your Reminder: Slowing Down Is a Strength

Menstruation isn’t the time to push through, hustle, or overextend—it’s the time to exhale. When you honor your body’s request for rest, you not only support your hormones, but you also set the tone for a more empowered cycle ahead. Your menstrual phase is your reset. Protect it. Cherish it. Use it as your monthly permission slip to pause.