You Might Be PMSing More Than Usual Right Now, Thanks To The Pink Moon
Your period is nicknamed your moon cycle for a reason, right? Perhaps the two have been connected simply because the average menstrual cycle is about 28 days, and the cycle of the moon takes about that long, too. But there's even some scientific proof of their correlation, which means that this Sunday, April 29, the Pink Moon could affect your period, and not only if you're actually bleeding while that majestic orb shines in all her spring splendor.
According to astrologer Linda Furiate, the Pink Moon is named for the "sprouting grass and blooming (pink) flowers" associated with this lovely change of season. "It shows the first signs of spring," she tells Elite Daily. "The full moon is on April 29. That day, the sun will be in the sign of Taurus, and the moon will be in the opposite sign of Scorpio." And Scorpio, Furiate explains, is the sign that is most closely associated with your reproductive system.
Girl, make sure your heating pad and your ice cream pints are ready to go ASAP, because according to Furiate, the Pink Moon might do a serious number on your menstrual cycle this weekend.
Furiate believes that the Pink Moon may affect your period this lunar cycle by causing a more intense or heavier flow.
Specifically, she says, there may be an increased potential for cramping, constipation, and bloating, thanks to this not-even-really-pink, Pink Moon. To top that off, if you notice you're feeling more moody than usual, or that your PMS is generally causing you way more discomfort than you're used to, Furiate says you might feel your "emotional temperature" rise along with this month's Pink Moon.
"With the moon in the sign of Scorpio, we may have a stronger tendency to express our anger and frustration, two characteristics highly associated with our period," Furiate tells Elite Daily.
Alyona Mindlin, a yoga, meditation, and spiritual coach, and founder of Awaken My Heart, echoes Furiate's insight, adding that a full moon of any kind usually leads people to experience things with more intensity across the board — so yes, that definitely includes, but is potentially not limited to, your menstrual cycle.
"A woman might naturally feel more quiet during this time and want to retreat," Mindlin tells Elite Daily. "When a woman bleeds on the full moon, she is usually going through stronger energies in her life and needs to release more. The cycle may be more heavy, stronger, and she may feel more emotional."
But listen, that doesn't have to mean all tears and temper on the Pink Moon. Mindlin says this can also be a creative time for you, as well.
"On the upside, she can also go deeper into the power of her moon and be able to connect to the energy of the moon in the sky more fully," says Mindlin. Basically, she says, since the Pink Moon is the first full moon of the spring season, it's an opportunity to shed the dreary vibes of winter and move forward with a totally clean slate. When you think about it that way, it doesn't sound so bad, right?
But listen, if you aren't much of a believer in ~moon power~, there really is some science that backs all of this up — and some that doesn't, too. A 1986 study, for instance, which tracked the periods of 826 female volunteers between the ages of 16 and 25, found a "synchronous relationship" between a woman's menstrual cycle and "lunar rhythm," with roughly 28 percent of the volunteers reporting their periods "occurred around the new moon." But another study, which was conducted more recently in 2013, found that there wasn't really a correlation between moon phases and women's periods, "in defiance of traditional beliefs," and despite "what some researchers have argued."
If you ask me, it seems like the only way to know for sure is to track your own moon cycle, right? And the Pink Moon seems like the perfect time to start.
