Home / 28 Day Welcome Back Your Cycle Awareness Challenge / Day 23 - Autumn {Premenstrual phase}

Day 23 - Autumn {Premenstrual phase}

Natalie Burtenshaw | 14 March, 2021

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Join me #28daywelcomebackyourcycleawarenesschallenge

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 23 - Autumn {Premenstrual phase}

Moon 1.1% - in Pisces

Luteal Stage

Progesterone decreasing

Creative phase

Today, taking care of my breathwork is my focus to navigate through this overwhelming feeling. I am so grateful to have the knowledge; otherwise I would certainly believe I was suffering with something other than Progesterone decreasing. I am feeling panicky and feel shortness of breath.

Breathwork for the Premenstrual Phase (please see below)

Day 23 Rituals

Walk
Pink Moon Tea
Cold Shower
Meditation
Breathing Light (Very important)

Inspired Action

Power Statement; These feeling are normal and I welcome it through breathwork.

Body Statement; I am in the breathwork flow.

Grateful; I am grateful for a zoom class I attended today.

Flow; N/A

Emotions; Feeling overwhelmed

Overall Energy; My energy levels are at about 60 percent.

Other Symptoms; Panic breath

Discomfort; Feeling very achy

BOLT Score; 11

Temperature; 36

Slept; Well

Dreamt; Yes

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

Sit on a chair and imagine a piece of string gently pulling you upwards towards the ceiling.
Imagine and feel the space between your ribs widening.

Instruction

Take a normal breath in and out through the nose.
As you breathe out, pinch your nose with your fingers to hold the breath for 5 seconds. 5,4,3,2,1
Let go of your nose and breathe in and out through your nose for ten seconds. 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
Repeat

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

Calming exercise in times of stress
Emergency exercise to help with asthma, panic attack & hyperventilation

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* 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.