Women Experience Disruption to Their Sleep Pattern in Days Leading Up to Their Periods

Women tend to have mood swings during their period. However, researchers learned that the menstrual cycle could also affect the sleeping pattern.

Menstrual Cycle and Sleep Pattern

In a new study, researchers from the University of East Anglia and the University of Houston examined sleep information from 51 healthy women, ages 18 to 35, to see how the quality of their sleep varies with the menstrual cycle. All of the individuals had regular periods and were free of hormonal contraception. They were also asked to track changes in their mood over the month.

Progesterone, which peaks near the end of the cycle, is linked to more negative emotions like irritability and depression, whereas estrogen, which rises at the start of the menstrual cycle, is linked to positive impacts on mood and cognition. Therefore, it was perhaps not surprising that in the days preceding their period, the subjects reported feeling more angry and less happy.

The researchers noticed notable variations in sleep quality over the month, in addition to mood swings. Throughout the days preceding and throughout their menstrual cycle, the individuals' activity trackers showed that they experienced much more sleep disruption and spent more time lying awake in bed.

The scientists hope their research will add to the increasing amount of data indicating the significant impact hormone changes play in women's sleep difficulties and mental suffering.

The impact of hormonal changes on women's well-being and the intricate relationship between menstrual cycles, emotions, and sleep are among the many topics covered by our research, according to study co-author Jo Bower of the University of East Anglia's School of Psychology. She added that they can better meet women's special demands regarding sleep health and emotional well-being by comprehending how these aspects interact.

Menstrual Cycle Changes a Woman's Brain

Elizabeth Rizor and Viktoriya Babenko of the University of California, Santa Barbara, led a team of researchers that closely observed 30 menstruating women throughout their cycles, recording in detail the structural changes in the brain that occur when hormone levels change. According to the study, structural changes in the brain that occur during menstruation may not just affect regions related to the menstrual cycle.

The results showed that the amounts of gray and white matter and cerebrospinal fluid varied along with hormone levels. Specifically, white matter changes in the patient's brains indicated faster information transfer shortly before ovulation, when the luteinizing hormone and 17-estradiol spike occur.

Thick gray matter has been associated with ovarian follicle-stimulating hormone (fSH), which rises before ovulation and helps stimulate them. Progesterone levels rise following ovulation and are associated with increased tissue and decreased cerebrospinal fluid.

The study establishes the groundwork for more investigation, even if it is unclear what this means for the person controlling the brain. It might provide light on the causes of serious but distinct mental health problems related to menstruation.

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