Why are we burnt out?
The second wave of feminism was launched in 1963 when Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique, which argued that women were ready to break free of the confines of their roles as wives and mothers. At the time, this was embraced as progress, as women were liberated to generate our own income, which gave us a lot more freedom and agency.
Over the past fifty years, women have made bold moves toward equal representation in positions of leadership, and rightfully so. It goes without saying that we are more than capable, and deserving, of holding power and earning in all the same ways that men are.
Yet, recently, I have been reflecting on the reality that was brought upon by this wave of women leaving the home and joining the workforce. The unforeseen consequence of this movement was women beginning to take on the “double shift” — now carrying emotional and home labor in addition to job labor. Over time, it became the expectation that we could and would work high powered jobs, while managing the household, and on top of it, somehow maintaining a perfect body and face. People who are filling the gender role of “woman” are expected to do all of this perfectly, and consistently…all of the time.
Was this wave of feminism a capitalist drive to increase societal productivity, masquerading as a social justice movement? I’m curious because, as a result of this paradigm shift, almost every woman I know is exhausted. Holding too much. On the brink of burnout, if not already.
It seems that in order to gain power and status inside of capitalism and patriarchy, we are required to suppress the uniquely cyclical nature. We are required to ignore our feminine biology and overcome our natural rhythms. In order to gain equal respect, we have been asked to do more and perform higher, while conforming to systems that are designed about the male hormonal cycle (more on this another time).
The female body is a cyclical one, with an internal clock that marches to the beat of a monthly and seasonal drum, beyond just a daily one. We are not designed to operate at full tilt every day, much less every moment of every day. Trying to do so is causing us great harm mentally and physically. It’s time that we tune back into our cyclical nature, and take time to rest regularly, especially when our bodies need it most.
It’s time to honor your cyclical nature.
If you are someone who menstruates, you have a 28-day cycle that exists in your biology, which by the way, is reflected in the rhythm of the moon. The general overview of the cycle, and its correlation to the moon, is this:
Menstrual Phase: days 1-5, beginning on day one of period (New Moon)
Follicular Phase: days 6-13 of the cycle (Waxing Moon)
Ovulatory Phase: days 14-16 of the cycle (Full Moon)
Luteal Phase: days 17-28 of the cycle (Waning Moon)
During the follicular phase the uterus is proliferating and preparing to receive a fertilized egg — it’s a great time to plan and strategize. During the ovulatory phase hormones are at their highest and the mature egg is released from the ovary — it’s a great time to connect and explore. During the luteal phase, the endometrium (uterine lining) continues to be nourished and grow with the expectation of implantation — so it’s a great time to implement strategy and work toward goals. However if implantation of the egg does not occur, the lining is shed — creating a beautiful time of surrender.
Menstruation is the time during which the uterine lining is released, to prepare for the next cycle. Just as the lunar cycle calls for a quiet calm during the New Moon, our bodies call for rest and reflection during our monthly menstruation. This is our natural moment for reprieve, and cultures throughout history revered this moment in their own ways with traditions such as The Red Tent.
And yet…
…there is a trend coming from some modern fitness companies that purports that people in female bodies should not only avoid rest, but actually workout harder on their periods. They claim that physiologically, your body is primed to hit it hard and you gain more muscle during your period than at any other phase of your cycle… and they recommend that we “ignore the myths and misconceptions,” overcome our desire to stay on the couch with a heating pad, and hit the gym.
From what I can tell, they have come to this conclusion by conflating the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, which is indeed a time when we are primed to build muscle, with the menstrual phase itself. However, combining these two phases into one, and thus recommending the same level of activity for them both, is not only an oversimplification, it is counter-productive — from both a Western perspective and an Ayurvedic one.
A reminder to slow down, at least once per month.
According to Western medical research presented by Alisa Vitti, when you’re menstruating, your hormones are at their lowest, and so are your energy levels. As a result, any form of high intensity exercise during menstruation has the potential backfire by turning on fat storage, causing muscle wasting and putting stress on your cardiovascular system. It’s true that in the first half of the cycle, you burn fat more easily and gain lean muscle — but only in the follicular phase, after menstruation. The follicular phase is a perfect time to go hard — on workouts, and in life.
In the second half of the cycle (luteal phase), your metabolism speeds up and you naturally burn more calories. During this post-ovulation phase, however, intense workouts are counterproductive because they pump out the stress hormone cortisol — which leads to fat storage and muscle wasting. It’s time to take it easier. This is the case especially as you get closer to your period, which is the time to really rest. Anyone who menstruates likely has a lived experience of this — when we tune in, many of us feel the desire to slow down, stay home and get cozy while on our periods.
Ayurvedic wisdom also tells us that menstruation is a time of rest.
Let’s talk about why.
Ayurvedically speaking, each phase of the cycle embodies a distinct transition of doshas — during the follicular phase, we go from vata to kapha (a building phase), during ovulation we go from kapha to pitta (all that juicy energy heats us up!) and then during luteal and into menstruation we go from pitta back to vata (the release of heat). Menstruation is a time when the body is transitioning from a pitta experience to a vata experience. Our temperature has been heightened since ovulation, but as we menstruate, we release that heat — our temperature drops, we clear more space, and we exhibit more vata.
Vata supports the flow of the menses out of the body, but as such, we need to be careful about anything vata provoking during this time — our body is not best equipped for vigor, or anything cold and rough, as these create an imbalance of the ether and air within us.
It is also important that we take special care of apana vayu, that downward moving vata energy that is responsible for release during this time. Apana vayu is responsible for the down and out release, but it also relates to hormonal balance, and is crucial for reproductive health on the whole… which as we know is related to general feminine health.
Excessive physical activity disturbs apana vayu, and discourages downward flow….which causes all sorts of symptoms, including:
accumulation of fat in thighs
constipation or diarrhea
no mense, profuse, irregular menses
pain during sex
lower backaches
osteoporosis
And honestly, how many women do we each know who are experiencing these things? The truth is, this is one reason why in traditional cultures, women were invited to abstain from activity during menstruation.
How to rest.
Many of us have forgotten how to rest… so let’s explore what rest can look like. During the 3-4 heaviest days of your period, take a break from strenuous exercise. If we’re called toward movement on our period, it’s best to focus on gentle walking or restorative yoga. Aside from the exercise component, rest could look like declining weekend invitations in favor of staying home and reading a book, not volunteering to take on extra tasks if you know you’ll be bleeding that week, or giving yourself permission to sleep in even just 30 minutes later if that’s a possibility for you. You don’t necessarily need to take time off work, but if you’re able, align your work calendar such that you are in a mode of reflection — look back at the past month to review successes and failures, analyze project data and reports, feel into whether or not the work is still aligned for you, and take breaks as needed.
If none of those are possible for you, consider something so simple as a 2 minute meditation — you could do it in your parked car outside the school where you’re picking up your kids, or outside the grocery store. Close your eyes and breathe instead of scrolling your phone. And go check out Tricia Hersey — aka the Nap Bishop — for more ideas about how to rest deeply and unapologetically.
It is my belief and my experience that when we tune into these monthly rhythms, rather than ignoring them entirely, we will be less likely to become irritable and overwhelmed by trying to “push through”. It’s really as simple as that. Also, when we are eating and caring for ourselves in alignment with our cycles, we will likely find that we are more comfortable in our bodies which will also support mood and emotions. Permission is key — if you want to curl up with a blanket and go inward, you get to do that.
You are enough.
Our bodies are a miraculous temple — menstruation is sacred because it is one of the visible expressions of creation. What could be more sacred than the miracle of creation? Menstruation is a time when we get to reflect on the fact that we are divinely sensual, cycle beings. We are powerful creators, and we are enough. You do not need to achieve more, do more, manage everything, work out constantly or control your body more to earn your power in this world. Take a deep breath, knowing that your power is inherent in the miracle that you are. Take it extra easy, and give yourself permission to NOT do as much as possible while you are bleeding.
Let it be your small, monthly act of resistance to the dominant systems of capitalism and patriarchy.
Sierra Brashear, MA is Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, wellness educator, and co-founder of Cultivate Balance. Our mission is to build individual and collective resilience through Ayurvedic Lifestyle Design as an emergent strategy for growing our capacity to embody the just and sustainable world we know is possible. Explore our Ayurvedic lifestyle programs, virtual workshops, and personal consultations.
