Jaded Issue #12

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If you are a women, you are probably crazy. But let me tell you why.

Yes, as a woman you may feel insane. Maybe you even are—and that’s kinda the coolest part. Women are “insane” because we’re sacred. Our moods shift, our energy rises and falls, our intuition whispers and screams. We bleed, we renew, we cycle with the moon.

That’s not madness—that’s magic. (Well to me at least)

So no, you’re not actually insane. You’re simply tuned into rhythms most of the world has forgotten how to honor.

For the longest time, women have been medicalized in society. A long, long long long long longggggg time ago, your period—your menstrual cycle—was a sacred thing. Women’s bodies were understood to be connected to the moon. Bleeding was their time to step away, rest, and reflect.

Now? It’s seen as gross. Something not to be spoken about. And in the medical world, almost every stage of womanhood has been labeled a disorder. Let me give you some examples:

• Periods → treated as disease
  
• Fertility → medicalized as disease
  
• Pregnancy → managed like disease
  
• Postpartum → pathologized as disease
  
• Peri-menopause → dismissed as “decline”
  
• Moods and emotions → reduced to “hormonal imbalance”
  
• Weight change → medicalized as failure
  
• Aging → resisted instead of celebrated

See how deep the programming runs? Every shift, every transition, every natural rhythm has been treated as pathology. But times are changing—and I’m so glad to see it.

You may not realize it (hopefully you will after this), but as a woman you are actually pretty magical. Unlike men, we ebb and flow with our emotions, moods, creativity, and energy. We cycle like the moon, like the tides, like the seasons.

In Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom by Dr. Christiane Northrup, she writes that the menstrual cycle is actually the most basic earth cycle we have. (She even notes that menstrual blood is being studied for its stem cells—potentially one of the most powerful regenerative sources we know.)

And science backs up what ancient cultures always knew: women and the moon are deeply linked. Research has shown that the moon influences the flow of fluids, not only in the ocean, but in the human body. A 2019 study in Science Advances found that many women’s cycles still align with lunar phases. Other studies suggest sleep patterns, dreams, and even melatonin secretion shift depending on moonlight exposure.

Indigenous cultures honored this connection. Women gathered in “moon lodges” or “red tents” during menstruation, not because they were impure, but because they were powerful. This was seen as a time of wisdom, visioning, and renewal.

So here’s how to begin connecting with yourself during your cycle:

The First Half (bleeding → ovulation):
This is your rising energy. Estrogen climbs, FSH and LH prepare your body for ovulation. You’re hyper-creative, expansive, ready to start projects and share your ideas. Studies show estrogen boosts dopamine and serotonin activity….hello, mood and motivation. Ovulation itself activates the left hemisphere of the brain, sharpening communication and problem-solving. Your magnetic energy and libido peak. Spiritually, this is your “spring and summer” phase…time to bloom and be seen.

The Second Half (after ovulation → next bleed):
Just like the tides pull back, your energy turns inward. Progesterone rises, calming but also slowing you down. Reflection deepens. You may feel less social, more sensitive, even triggered by things you could brush off before. That isn’t weakness—it’s your body’s wisdom pulling you to pause and notice what’s out of alignment.

And yes, if you feel run down or sick at this time, it’s real: research shows the immune system changes with your cycle. Progesterone can suppress immune activity, which is why some women notice more colds, fatigue, or inflammation in the luteal phase.

Many women also feel the urge to clean, purge, and organize right before bleeding. Dr. Northrup calls this “biological housecleaning”—your body instinctively preparing for a reset.

The Bleeding Days (the reset):
Though you might feel low energy, this phase is incredibly intuitive. Neurological research suggests altered connectivity between brain regions during menstruation, which could explain heightened intuition and dream activity. Anthropological accounts show that in many traditions, menstrual blood itself was returned to the earth as an offering—a literal cycle of life feeding life.

Where to begin:
Track yourself.
For one full cycle, become your own gentle observer.
And when I say gentle, I mean non-judgmental.
This isn’t about control, perfection, or fixing. It’s about witnessing yourself with curiosity and care. Notice how your energy rises and falls, how your body craves different foods, movement, or rest.
Write down your moods, your cravings, your triggers, your dreams.
Note when you feel magnetic, sexy, and social…and when you crave solitude and silence.
Watch how your creativity peaks and then retreats, how your intuition sharpens, how your body communicates.
Put it all on paper. Not to judge yourself or control yourself, but to learn how to embrace yourself.

You’ll start to see that you’re not “crazy.” You’re cyclical. Rhythmic. Ancient. You’re not meant to keep up with it. You’re meant to move with. It’s time to dance with your own rhythm.

xoxo

Olivia Jade

References

• Northrup, C. (1998). Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom. Bantam.
  
• Komada, Y., et al. (2015). “The effects of the full moon on sleep and melatonin secretion.” Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.
  
• Helfrich-Förster, C., et al. (2019). “Women’s menstrual cycles and lunar phases: Synchrony still exists.” Science Advances.
  
• Alvergne, A., & Lummaa, V. (2010). “Ecological variation in immune function during the menstrual cycle.” American Journal of Human Biology.
  
• Cabrera-Mendoza, B., et al. (2021). “Cyclic changes in brain connectivity across the menstrual cycle.” Frontiers in Neuroscience.