This 28 day challenge was born from a place of welcoming back the whole month of a woman's cycle. Often, it's just the time of menstruation that we give any consideration to our cycle. Our complete cycle is the inner compass to our bodies needs, and a guide to living a more balanced, meaningful connected life.
Day 21 - Autumn {Premenstrual phase}
Moon 1.0% - in Libra
Luteal Stage
Oestrogen and Progesterone decrease
Creative phase
As my egg was not fertilised, levels of Oestrogen are decreasing. Progesterone peaks and drops very quickly. Without the high levels of hormones, my womb lining that has been built up starts to break down. This is the start of my next period and the beginning of my next menstrual cycle.
Progesterone stimulates the respiratory rate, meaning that in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, carbon dioxide levels drop by around 25 percent . Any extra stress can cause breathing to speed up even further when CO2 levels are already low, and this creates a range of symptoms that are commonly interpreted as premenstrual syndrome.
Even though I have just entered this phases, I can certainly feel the shift. My breath feels a little anxious and I am feeling a little overwhelmed.
Today I have missed my meditation and exercise routine, because I was in a fluster about an issue that came about (nothing too drastic) but I felt a little out of my depth about how to handle it.
This is where I moved over to my Breathwork for the Premenstrual Phase (please see below)
Day 21 Rituals
Breathwork for the Premenstrual Phase
* Breath Holds
By holding the breath for short periods of time, the gas nitric oxide (NO) slightly pools inside the nasal cavity and the gas carbon dioxide (CO2) slightly increases in the blood. Upon resumption of breathing, breathe in so as to carry NO from the nasal cavity into the lungs. As you hold your breath, you may feel a light hunger for air. This signifies that the gas CO2 is increasing in your blood. Both gases play an important role in opening airways, improving blood circulation and allowing more oxygen to be delivered to the cells. This exercise is ideal for a warm up, to help reduce stress, asthma symptoms and breathing recovery following physical exercise
Instructions
Posture
Instruction
As you hold your breath nitric oxide pools inside the nasal cavity. Breathing in after
the breath hold will carry nitric oxide into the lungs. There it will help open the airways and improve oxygen uptake in the blood.You should not feel stressed while doing the exercise. If the air hunger is too much,
then hold the breath for 3 seconds only.Results
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* Studies in rats have shown that withdrawal of the female hormone progesterone increased susceptibility to panic-related anxiety, indicating that the lower levels of progesterone during the days before the period may be a trigger.
The symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are directly related to hyperventilation. In a 2006 study it was found that women with PMS experience a much greater decline in blood carbon dioxide in the premenstrual phase than women who do not experience symptoms.
As progesterone increases and blood CO2 decreases, symptoms appear. When the luteal phase ends, progesterone decreases, CO2 levels normalize, and symptoms disappear.
*Copyright © 2017 Patrick McKeown
