Periods, Parties & Substances
How this Festival Guide for Women came to live
(skip if you don't like a bit of storytelling 😉
A couple of years ago, I was getting ready for Boom Festival in Portugal with my friends. I knew I wanted to go, but I also knew I wasn’t made for roughing it in a tent for a whole week. I need my food, my sleep, and at least a little bit of comfort. So I thought — maybe this is the moment I finally get a van.
And somehow, everything aligned.
I found a van I loved that was waiting for me in Portugal. Around the same time, I discovered a yoga Teacher training focused on Women’s Health and Yoga — happening just two weeks before the festival, practically around the corner. It was one of those times where it all just came together. It felt like it was meant to happen.
So I flew to Portugal, did the Women’s Health and Yoga Training, picked up my van, and rolled straight into the festival.
I had just spent a full week diving deep into the wisdom of the menstrual cycle, hormone health, and how yoga can support our natural rhythms. Then suddenly, I was at Boom — dancing, connecting, sweating, bleeding, and noticing.
And that’s really where this guide began.
Cyclical Living - from curious to obsessed
Back home, I started asking around.
My girlfriends and I began checking in before we went out. “Where are you in your cycle?” became part of our pre-party chats.
Not to limit ourselves — just to get curious.
We noticed real shifts. How much we felt, how connected or anxious we were, how intense our physical reactions were.
There was this one club night in Berlin where three of us had our period. We were on stimulants — and let’s just say, most of the dancing happened on the way to the toilet. Period poo on coke is not a vibe. It’s a situation.
Another time, I took MDMA and felt completely off. Too much, too heavy. I traced it back later and realized it was probably right before my period — a time when I naturally feel lower, more sensitive, less open.
The body doesn’t lie, and I pushed her to hard!
But no one talks about this
And I started wondering: where’s the information on this?
Where’s the research on how menstrual cycles affect drug-taking? How come no one is talking about how estrogen, progesterone, and our shifting inner chemistry impacts how we feel on substances?
Turns out, there are a few studies — not many, but enough to start painting a picture. So I started gathering them. I also started combining them with my own experiences, and what I saw in my coaching and conversations with other women.
That’s how the Festival Wellness Guide for Women was born.
It’s not here to tell you what to do or judge your choices. I’m not giving recommendations, and I’m not preaching. I’ve partied, I’ve learned, I’ve felt a lot. And I’m still curious.
I just know that for me, partying on day one of my period is usually not worth it. I’d rather rest, eat something warm, cry a little maybe, and save the dancing for my follicular phase.
But you should do whatever feels right.
This guide is here to help you tune in, stay aware, and enjoy your body — no matter what phase you’re in.
What You’ll Find Inside the Guide
(And Why It’s Not Just for Festivals)
This guide was created with festivals in mind, but honestly, the tips go far beyond that.
I’ve been living and traveling in my van for quite a while, and I know how challenging it can be to care for your cycle when you’re always on the move, sharing toilets, or sleeping under the stars.
Inside the guide, you’ll find practical tools and soulful reminders that help you stay connected to your body, no matter where you are.
Here’s a little glimpse of what’s inside:
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An overview of the four cycle phases and how they might show up in a party or festival setting
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Research-based insights on how your hormones can affect the way you experience different substances
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Period care tips for camping, traveling, or dancing through your bleed
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Body and soul care checklists for before, during, and after events
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Reflections, rituals, and little reminders to honour your rhythm — even in wild environments
This guide is for women who are curious, sensitive, open-hearted, and want to feel more in tune with their bodies.
Whether you’re going to a music festival, living vanlife, traveling through Europe, or simply exploring what it means to live more cyclically — this guide is here to support you.
You don’t have to pause your life because of your period. But you also don’t have to push through it.
There’s a softer, more connected way. And that’s what this guide is about.
Want to know more?
I created this guide for women who want to understand themselves better, stay safe and have fun.
Whether you’re sober, curious, or out there raving — if you bleed and you love a dancefloor, this is for you.
Disclaimer:
This article reflects my personal experiences and is shared for educational and harm-reduction purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice or encouragement to use any substances. Please take care of your body, respect the law in your country, and make your own informed decisions.
