Women's Hormones & the Cycles of Nature - A Naturopath's Insight

If you’ve ever felt like your body has a rhythm of its own - one that doesn’t quite match the

“9-to-5, go-go-go” pace of modern life - you’re not imagining it. Women’s hormones move

in beautiful, monthly cycles. They ebb and flow, just like the seasons and the moon. Men’s

hormones, on the other hand, follow a much more linear, daily pattern. And yet, our society is built around that masculine rhythm - expecting consistency, productivity, and output at the same pace every single day.

Here’s the truth: women’s bodies were never designed to function like that. When we ignore

our inner cycles and the cycles of nature, we pay the price with our energy, mood, hormones, and overall wellbeing.

Let’s explore what it means to live more in tune with your rhythms, how modern life pulls us

away, and some gentle ways you can start to reconnect.

Women’s Cyclical Hormones vs. Men’s Linear Hormones

Men’s primary hormone, testosterone, rises and falls in a 24-hour cycle. It peaks in the

morning (hello, energy, libido, and motivation) and gradually declines throughout the day.

That’s why a consistent routine works well for them - their hormonal baseline resets

overnight.

Women’s hormones, though, move in a roughly 28-day cycle (give or take a few days).

Across the month, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone all rise and fall, creating four

distinct “seasons” in the menstrual cycle:

Inner Winter (Menstruation): Energy is lowest, your body is asking for rest,

reflection, and nourishment.

Inner Spring (Follicular Phase): Energy builds, creativity sparks, and motivation

increases.

Inner Summer (Ovulation): Peak energy, communication, and social connection -

the time to “show up and shine.”

Inner Autumn (Luteal Phase): Energy turns inward, focus sharpens, and the body

prepares to rest again.

These hormonal shifts are not weaknesses - they are powerful guides. But in a world designed for the male 24-hour rhythm, women are often pushed to ignore their natural flow.

The Mismatch With Modern Life

Here’s the problem: society expects us to be “on” every single day - same energy, same

productivity, same focus - no matter where we are in our cycle. Work schedules, school

systems, and even exercise routines are built around the idea of constant output.

This mismatch shows up as:

•  Burnout when we push through our low-energy “inner winter” phases

•  PMS and cycle irregularities when stress and lifestyle override hormonal balance

•  Feeling guilty for needing rest, quiet, or slowness

•  Disconnect from our intuition and body signals

•  General dissatisfaction because life feels like it’s being lived “against the grain”

  
  

Add to this the disconnection from nature’s rhythms - artificial light instead of sunrise/sunset, constant availability instead of seasonal rest, indoor living instead of daily

time outdoors - and it’s no wonder our bodies feel out of sync.

Why Reconnection Matters

Living in alignment with our inner and outer rhythms changes everything. When you honour

your cycle, you stop fighting against your biology and start working with it. Productivity

feels easier, relationships improve, and your health (hormones, energy, mood, digestion,

sleep) starts to fall into balance.

And when you also tune back into nature’s rhythms - waking with the sun, eating seasonal

foods, slowing down in winter, expanding in summer - your body feels grounded, steady, and supported. It’s not about perfection; it’s about remembering that we’re not separate from nature, we are part of it.

How to Reconnect With Your Rhythms

Here are some simple ways to start tuning back into both your inner cycle and the cycles of

nature:

Track Your Cycle

Start with awareness. Track your energy, mood, and symptoms across the month. Notice

when you feel more social, creative, or reflective - these patterns are your hormonal seasons in action.

Sync Workouts and Productivity

•  Inner Winter: Gentle yoga, walking, rest.

•  Inner Spring: Try new workouts, build strength.

•  Inner Summer: High-energy exercise, big projects, public speaking.

•  Inner Autumn: Strength training, focused work, completing tasks.

Honour Rest and Reflection

Give yourself permission to rest during menstruation, just as you’d allow yourself to rest

when you’re sick. This isn’t weakness; it’s wisdom.

Eat With the Seasons

Nature provides what we need at the right time. Cooling foods in summer, grounding stews in winter, fresh greens in spring. Seasonal eating supports your hormones and digestion.

Spend Time Outdoors

Sunlight in the morning helps regulate circadian rhythms and improves hormone balance.

Walking barefoot, gardening, or simply sitting under a tree reconnects you to the earth’s

natural flow.

Align With the Moon

If you don’t bleed on a regular cycle, the moon can be a helpful anchor. New moon mirrors

menstruation (inner winter), full moon mirrors ovulation (inner summer).

The Bigger Picture

When we ignore our cycles and the rhythms of nature, our bodies let us know - through

stress, fatigue, hormone imbalances, poor sleep, anxiety, or just that sense of being out of

alignment.

But when we begin to live in tune with our inner and outer rhythms, life feels different.

There’s more flow, more clarity, and more resilience. You start to feel at home in your body,

instead of at war with it.

Final Thoughts

As women, we’re not meant to be the same every day - and that’s our superpower. We are

literally a different version of ourselves each day of the month. Honouring the cyclical nature

of our hormones and reconnecting with the natural world is one of the most powerful ways to support health and wellbeing.

If you’re ready to explore this more deeply and learn how to live in alignment with your

unique rhythms, I’d love to support you one-on-one. Book a naturopathic consultation and

we’ll create a plan that works with your body, not against it.