This second rhythm is known as the infradian rhythm, a roughly 28-day cycle that closely aligns with female physiology. It exerts a profound influence on your overall health as it synchronises with your monthly hormonal fluctuations. While routines such as morning rituals and regular workouts can significantly benefit hormonal health, there's a vital piece of the puzzle that often goes unnoticed: your unique infradian rhythm.
→ Have you ever noticed feeling more sociable during certain times of the month while feeling completely drained at others?
This phenomenon is linked to your infradian rhythm.
→ Have you ever pushed yourself to exercise vigorously during your period, despite feeling fatigued?
Infradian rhythms can explain why subjecting your body to intense physical activity during your period may not be the most supportive approach.
In this blog post, we'll uncover this fascinating biological clock, which has the potential to guide you towards a healthier, less stressful, and more productive life.
Demystifying the Infradian Rhythm:
Before you can harness the power of your infradian rhythm, it's essential to understand how it aligns with your hormonal cycles.
Infradian rhythms are intrinsic biological clocks that operate silently, regulating various bodily functions for optimal performance. Just as humans possess biological clocks, so do animals, and these rhythms are inherent, requiring no external activation. These rhythms manifest themselves in various forms across the natural world, from hibernation and migration patterns to the shedding of skin and mating behaviors.
While the circadian rhythm functions on a 24-hour cycle, the infradian rhythm is intertwined with a woman's roughly 28-day hormonal cycle. Your infradian rhythm governs six pivotal systems within your body:
- Brain
- Metabolism
- Immune system
- Microbiome
- Stress response system
- Reproductive system
Why the Infradian Rhythm Goes Unnoticed:
The science behind infradian rhythms merits recognition in the medical world, yet it frequently goes unnoticed.
"Many researchers have deemed it too complex to include women as subjects in clinical trials due to the intricacies of our monthly hormone cycle."
This oversight is a mere glimpse into how women's health is often marginalised within the Western medicine. Many fitness regimens, dietary plans, and health strategies marketed to women are rooted in men's health, as they are simpler to navigate.
Factors Affecting Your Infradian Rhythm and Hormonal Cycles:
Several factors can disrupt your infradian rhythm and hormonal cycles, influencing your overall well-being. Understanding these factors is key to optimising your personal and external rhythms, aligning them with your body's natural ebbs and flows. Here are some significant factors:
Extreme exercise or being underweight: Both conditions force your metabolism to adapt, prioritising energy conservation for vital bodily functions. This adaptive response is akin to the vagus nerve's role in energy preservation and the detoxification process of autophagy.
- Overweight or excess body fat: Conversely, excess body fat can elevate estrogen levels, disrupting hormone balance and leading to hormonal issues.
- Birth control: Most hormonal contraceptives significantly alter your hormone levels, potentially resulting in various physical, mental, and emotional side effects.
- Medical conditions like PCOS: Undiagnosed conditions such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) can silently impact your infradian rhythm, contributing to a range of perplexing and elusive symptoms.
- Stress: Stress triggers a "fight or flight" response, elevating cortisol levels. Left unmanaged, stress can delay, disrupt, or halt menstruation.
- An "off" circadian rhythm: Irregular patterns in your circadian rhythm can affect your infradian rhythm. Periods of inadequate sleep or jet lag can disrupt your circadian rhythm, consequently affecting hormone levels.
Armed with this knowledge, you can take proactive steps to support your infradian rhythm. Customizing your routines to align with your infradian rhythms and hormonal cycle can be truly transformative.
Supporting Your Infradian Rhythms and Hormonal Cycles:
Infradian rhythms orchestrate your hormonal cycles by modulating hormone levels throughout each phase. To become more in tune with your infradian rhythm, it's essential to understand your menstrual cycle thoroughly. Let's delve into the distinct phases of your hormonal cycle and how to support your infradian rhythm during each:
Menstrual (Menses) – Days 1-5:
During menstruation, your uterine lining is shed, resulting in bleeding. This phase is evident if you are not pregnant. Your infradian rhythm triggers low levels of estrogen and progesterone, which, in turn, influence mood, sleep, appetite, and digestion. To support your infradian rhythm during this phase:
Prioritize stress reduction techniques.
- Avoid inflammatory foods like seed oils, which contribute to inflammation and anxiety.
- Engage in gentle exercise, such as yoga or walking.
- Be mindful of sleep hygiene, as sleep quality can diminish during menstruation.
- Opt for mineral-rich, nutrient-dense foods like warming soups, stews, seafood, and pasture-raised meats to stabilize blood sugar and support skin health.
Follicular – Days 6-14:
During the follicular phase, oestrogen levels rise, thickening the uterine lining in preparation for potential pregnancy. Metabolism increases during this phase, making it easier to handle stress. To align with your infradian rhythm during the follicular phase:
- Engage in higher-intensity workouts, particularly cardio exercises.
- Schedule important meetings, creative tasks, or social events, as your communication skills and sociability peak.
- Incorporate light and colourful foods like steamed vegetables, salads, and stir-fries into your diet to promote skin health.
Ovulatory Phase – Around Day 14:
Around Day 14, a surge in luteinizing hormone prompts ovulation, and your ovaries release an egg. Estrogen and testosterone levels peak during this time. To support your infradian rhythm during the ovulatory phase:
- Opt for high-intensity workouts while energy levels are high, but anticipate a decline.
- Plan social interactions and communication, as you'll be at your most sociable.
- Embrace a diet rich in light and colourful foods, promoting skin health.
Luteal – Days 15-28:
In the luteal phase, the egg travels through the fallopian tubes, and progesterone rises to prepare the uterus for potential pregnancy. Oestrogen, testosterone, and progesterone levels experience peaks and declines, potentially leading to premenstrual syndrome (PMS). To support your infradian rhythm during the luteal phase:
- Opt for lower-intensity workouts, focusing on strength-building.
- Implement sleep-inducing habits, given that sleep quality may be affected.
- Maintain a supply of healthy snacks containing protein and healthy fats to accommodate an increased metabolism.
- Consume foods that promote blood sugar stability, such as high-fiber options, vitamin B, magnesium, calcium, root veggies, and complex carbs.
- Use gentle skincare products with soothing ingredients to address potential skin issues.
Embracing Your Infradian Rhythm: The Bigger Picture
Your infradian rhythm and hormonal cycles hold immense importance. To help you stay balanced and grounded, consider some overarching principles for phase-specific care:
Exercise: Tailor your workout plans in intensity and duration to align with your infradian rhythms. Embrace an intuitive approach to exercise that adapts to your body's unique needs.
Productivity and Social Life: Schedule personal and work-related commitments in alignment with your infradian rhythm. Leverage times when communication, sociability, and stress management come more naturally.
Sleep: Recognize that sleep quality can fluctuate during different phases of your hormonal cycle. Plan late-night outings when sleep quality remains uncompromised and prioritize sleep to meet your body's needs.
Fertility and Full-Body Health: Acknowledge the link between infradian rhythms, hormonal health, fertility, and overall well-being. Minimise exposure to toxins, as many are endocrine disruptors that can disturb your body's normal patterns.
It's important to remember that everyone's cycles are unique, and the provided "ranges" serve as general guidelines. By meticulously tracking your experiences over a few months, you'll begin to identify patterns, enabling you to make beneficial adjustments. It's never too late to regain control over your well-being.
Take Control and Foster Balance:
As an individual with unique needs, paying attention to your infradian rhythm is essential. With a bit of effort and some minor adjustments, you can experience a world of improvement in your overall health.
What changes can you implement to harmonise your hormonal cycles and achieve balance? We're here to remind you to prioritize self-care and embark on a journey towards good health.
Here's to your well-being,
Kayleigh xx
