For most of human history, women moved differently during their bleed. Not because they were innately weaker during this time, but because they were wise and attuned.

Somewhere along the way, that wisdom was replaced with an expectation to perform. To push through, hustle hard, "no bad days". We have become expected to show up at full capacity as if nothing is happening inside the body, as if the body isn't doing something profound.

Oh, but it is.

Each cycle, your body is releasing and renewing. That process draws significantly on your energy, your minerals, and your reserves. You're not deeply flawed; it's not a design defect to feel fatigue or to feel pain. In fact, studies show this pain is akin to a heart attack.

The brain fog, the need for stillness, the pulling inward, as inconvenient as they may seem, are actually beautifully communicated messages from your body, asking you to listen. This is body literacy.

The best part is that movement is not about giving up, losing progress, or moving backward. It's giving in to something more intelligent than willpower. And despite our societal pressure to function at extremely high levels, sometimes "optimal" actually looks a lot mellower.

Walking, restorative yoga, soft stretching, and even gentler forms of mat pilates are all forms of movement in deep conversation with where your body and hormones actually are. Research suggests that working against this rhythm, like training at high intensity during menstruation, can activate stress responses in the body, working against the very goals you're moving toward.

Think: turning on fat-storing genes, and not actively building muscle despite the challenging efforts. Therefore, rest is not the opposite of progress. For the female body, it is often part of it.

What if this phase asked something different of you? Not less, just different.

Things like softer deadlines, earlier nights, a little extra carbs sans the guilt, and a walk instead of a run can make a huge impact on your cycle, your body, and your nervous system. A no that protects your energy instead of a yes that depletes it is a moment to tend to yourself with the same care and intention that you tend to everything else.

Your body has been doing this your whole life. We don't need to override our smart systems, we simply need to come home to ourselves. This is what deep restoration looks like.