If Your Period Is Totally Off This Week, It Could Be Thanks To The Strawberry Moon

Is there anything more pleasant and summery-sounding than the Strawberry Moon? It's the name for the full moon in June, and it will be here in all its full-bodied, celestial glory this Thursday, June 28. But along with your excitement about this gorgeous glowing orb in the sky, you might also be wondering how the Strawberry Moon affects your period since, you know, some people say menstrual cycles are synced in some way with the phases of the moon. After all, it can't be called a moon cycle for nothing, right?

Well, before I dive into the connection between periods and moon phases, it's important to understand what exactly the Strawberry Moon is. According to astrologer Elisabeth Grace, the full moon in June is just that: the full moon in June. "It is named after the wild strawberries that start to ripen during this month," Grace tells Elite Daily, in case you were wondering where exactly the tasty-sounding name comes from. Plus, according to TimeAndDate.com, June's full moon is also sometimes referred to as the Hot Moon, the Mead Moon, and even the Rose Moon.

And as for how the full moon will affect your period? Well, according to Grace, you might want to stock up on extra tampons or pads, just to be safe.

"Some conventional astrological wisdom notes potential for heavier bleeding when the moon is full, so perhaps your period might be affected," she tells Elite Daily. So if your period happens to fall in line with the Strawberry Moon on Thursday, and it feels like you're changing that DivaCup a little more than usual these next few days, at the very least, you can take comfort in the fact that you're definitely not the first person to have made that connection or observation.

Rest assured, though, Grace says there's really no reason to feel anxious about how the Strawberry Moon will affect your period. She did note, however, that there may be reason to believe a full moon could affect fertility, if family-planning is something that's part of your life at the moment. The astrologer cites a study that was done in India back in 2005 about conception and full moons, which showed that babies conceived on the full moon were more likely to be boys than girls. Pretty wild, right? The study itself was pretty small, though, so do with that information what you will.

Regardless, if you're looking for emotional or physical guidance from the universe, Grace says the single most important thing to consult is your own unique horoscope.

She tells Elite Daily there are very few things in the movement of the planets and moons that affect all of us in exactly the same way. In other words, she explains, if you're into astrology and believe these things do have an effect on you in one way or another, the best way to gain some more insight is to read your own horoscope and see what the stars have in store for you, specifically.

Now, if you ask Laurie Endicott Thomas, MA, ELS, an editor in medical publishing, about the Strawberry Moon, she'll tell you the name was created by Algonquin tribes to describe the full moon that happens closest to the summer solstice. And just as Grace said, this was because of the beautiful berries that ripen in the summer bushes during this time of the year.

But as for the Strawberry Moon's effect on your body, and more specifically, your menstrual cycle? Thomas isn't buying it.

"The full moon has absolutely nothing to do with a woman’s menstrual cycle," Thomas tells Elite Daily. "The fact that many women’s menstrual cycles are roughly the same length as a lunar cycle is merely a coincidence."

When the moon is full, Thomas says, it simply means the sun is shining on the side of the moon that is facing the Earth. This happens when the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun — and that's it.

But hey, we're all entitled to our own beliefs and opinions, right? When it comes to matters of astrology, it's all about interpretation. If you're someone who cannot leave the house before you've read your daily horoscope, maybe pack an extra tampon or two in your bag this week like Grace suggested. It certainly can't hurt, right?

Either way, make sure to poke your head out the window to take a look at the Strawberry Moon on June 28. And hey, why not get a box of celebratory berries to enjoy while you're at it?