Menstruation research shows the true impact on health, sleep and wellbeing

Haven’t we been saying for ages women’s lives are seriously ­disrupted every month of the year with our emotions left in pieces? Yes, by periods.

Frankly I’m surprised it’s taken so long for researchers to turn their ­attention to effects of menstruation. Researchers at East Anglia University have reported women experience ­disruptions in their sleep patterns with heightened feelings of anger in the days leading up to their period.

Admittedly it does shed new light on the tricky relationship between women’s menstrual cycles, emotions, and sleep patterns. Dr Jo Bower, of UEA, admits: “Our research provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between menstrual cycles, emotions and sleep, and the impact of hormonal fluctuations on women’s wellbeing.”

And she claims: “By understanding how these factors interact, we can better address the unique needs of women in terms of sleep health and emotional wellbeing.”

Researchers studied 51 healthy women aged between 18 and 35, who had regular periods and weren’t taking hormonal contraception who completed daily reports on their sleep and emotions. They wore actiwatches (a sleep/wake tracking watch) to record sleep across two menstrual months. There were compelling associations between menstrual phases, emotional states, and sleep quality.

There are three key findings: women experience disturbed sleep patterns in the days before and during their period (peri-menstrual phase), spending more time awake at night, with a lower proportion of time spent in bed asleep (lower sleep efficiency); during the same phase, women report heightened feelings of anger compared to other phases of their menstrual cycle; and sleep disturbances during the peri-menstrual phase correlate with lack of calmness, happiness, and enthusiasm. In other words, agitation, depression and apathy.

Sound familiar? The fact is women are vulnerable premenstrually and menstrual cycles may play a significant role in women’s ­vulnerability to insomnia and mental health issues. Dr Bower feels that hormonal fluctuations should be considered when addressing sleep disorders and emotional distress in women.

“The implications of this research reach further than just the controlled setting, providing potential pathways for interventions and ­treatments aimed at enhancing sleep quality and emotional resilience in women.”

Although the study had unique strengths, such as data across two menstrual cycles, the researchers said the findings must take account of several limitations.

For example, the data was collected between May 2020 and January 2021, and precisely how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted outcomes cannot be fully known.

Although the researchers didn’t find strong effects for pandemic stress on outcomes, they cannot discount the fact that the pandemic likely affected participants’ emotional experiences and sleep-wake behaviours.