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 22 - Autumn {Premenstrual phase}
Moon 0% - in Pisces
Luteal Stage
Progesterone decreasing
Creative phase
I am utilising the power of the new moon at this time and working through my planing reset in my meditation. Manifesting and making plans.
As my period was late this month I am navigating a new cycle system, normally on a new moon I would be in the menstruation phase, but today I find myself in a different phase, a phase where my progesterone has decreased and I am feeling a little out of breath, a little panicky and rather overwhelmed.
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. This is where I moved over to my Breathwork for the Premenstrual Phase (please see below)
Day 22 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
