---
title: Do women with PMS drink alcohol differently than other women?
description: Women with PMS mood patterns reported higher hard alcohol use and felt less negative when drinking than women with other mood patterns. The link may relate to
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/affective-response-to-the-menstrual-cycle-as-a-predictor-of-self-reported-2012/
---

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- Do women with PMS drink alcohol differently than other women?

Survey study, 2012

# Do women with PMS drink alcohol differently than other women?

Women with PMS mood patterns reported higher hard alcohol use and felt less negative when drinking than women with other mood patterns. The link may relate to how hormones affect brain chemistry and alcohol's mood effects.

 Early or limited evidence

161 college-aged women

## What they did

College women (161) who had previously tracked their daily mood for two full menstrual cycles were later asked to report their typical alcohol use and how they felt emotionally when drinking.

## What they found

Women with PMS mood patterns reported significantly higher hard alcohol use, less negative affective response to alcohol, and lower sleep disruption after drinking compared to women with mid-cycle mood patterns.

## What it means for you

Women whose mood dips before their period may be more likely to drink heavily, possibly because alcohol affects their mood differently during their cycle. The main limitation is that women were asked to remember and report past drinking, which is less accurate than directly tracking use.

161

College women studied

2

Full menstrual cycles tracked by each woman

## About the study

Original title Affective response to the menstrual cycle as a predictor of self-reported affective response to alcohol and alcohol use Authors Kiesner J Journal Archives of women's mental health Year 2012 Study design Survey study Participants 213 What was tested None (observational study using past mood tracking) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s00737-012-0303-1](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-012-0303-1)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)

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## Related studies

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Systematic review, 2025

Does alcohol use affect menstrual health in teenage girls?

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What do brain wave patterns show about PMS and PMDD?

Systematic review, 2021

Does substance use change across the menstrual cycle, especially in women with PMS or PMDD?

Cohort study, 2026

Are diet and lifestyle linked to premenstrual symptoms in college students?

Cohort study, 2026

Does cannabis use vary across the menstrual cycle in people with premenstrual disorders?

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