Can Your Period Sync with the Moon?
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The ebb and the flow
The false and the known
The thought, the rebuked
Not all follow suit
See her you smile
When gone, there’s no trial
She will be back and
We cherish the fact
That we feel a connection
Some divine intervention
That carries our flow
With the path that she rows
She hangs in the sky
But never does pry
We follow her lead
Whether or not we believe
That there is some influence
That we’re swept in her currents
That our red follows white
Of her bright, guiding light
Can your period really sync with the moon? I wrote this lovely little poem to ease the blow of telling you that no, it cannot.
Though there have been studies to determine if syncing is possible, the overwhelming evidence (analysis of 7.5 million cycles) supports the idea that the moon influencing your period is nothing more than a lullaby tale. Much like the idea of syncing periods with your best friend, syncing with our big friendly rock in the sky, unfortunately, comes down to chance.
In 2016 Dr. Marija Vlajic Wheeler conducted the largest study about lunar period syncing for Clue, the period tracking app. Several studies have been done since 1937 to see if there is a correlation between the moon and periods. Unfortunately, they all came up with the same answer: your period cannot sync with the moon.
Dr. Wheeler stated in her research that “The link it seems, comes from the very similar length of the lunar and menstrual cycles: the average length of a menstrual cycle is 29 days and the lunar cycle is 29.5. This, says Clue, means that statistically one in two women will have their period start either three days before or after the full or new moon, giving the impression that cycles are linked to the lunar cycle and, for some, they will be.” The big thing to keep in mind is that the lunar cycle does not control the menstrual cycle, and the perceived correlation comes down to time. With the menstrual and lunar cycle being close temporally, depending on your individual menstrual cycle, you could “sync” with the moon.
As a matter of its own, it is interesting that menstrual cycles closely line up in duration to lunar cycles. It is known that some marine organisms sync their metabolic rhythms to the monthly routine of the moon. Another interesting tidbit is that the terms “menstruation” and “menses” come from Latin and Greek words meaning month (mensis) and moon (mene), which is an unfortunate red herring.
Even after all of the evidence, the moon can still be an impactful presence for menstruators. It can certainly help some individuals track their cycle. Especially for individuals not on birth control, observing the lunar cycle as it relates to menstruation can be very powerful.
So, officially, no, your period cannot sync with the moon. It’s an unnecessary bummer in a world full of heartbreak. Why couldn’t we have this one thing?
Secretly or not so secretly, I want the moon to control me subtly, and in turn, maybe, in some way, I subtly control it as well. We would be bound together in an eternal tether where it makes me bleed, and I charge my crystals in its light—a little tit-for-tat. But alas.