---
title: Does PMS change how the body controls heart rate during sleep?
description: Yes. Heart rate control changes at different points in the menstrual cycle, especially during the luteal phase when progesterone is high. Women with PMS show
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/autonomic-regulation-across-phases-of-the-menstrual-cycle-and-sleep-stages-in-2013/
---

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- Does PMS change how the body controls heart rate during sleep?

Case-control study, 2013

# Does PMS change how the body controls heart rate during sleep?

Yes. Heart rate control changes at different points in the menstrual cycle, especially during the luteal phase when progesterone is high. Women with PMS show some different patterns than women without PMS.

 Early or limited evidence

12 women with severe PMS and 14 healthy women

## What they did

Measured heart rate and heart rate control during different types of sleep (REM and non-REM) at three different times in the menstrual cycle. Researchers compared 12 women with severe PMS to 14 women without PMS.

## What they found

Heart rate was higher during REM sleep than non-REM sleep in both groups. During the luteal phase (the second half of the cycle), both groups had higher heart rate than during the early cycle. The way the nervous system controlled heart rate was different in women with PMS, related to progesterone levels.

## What it means for you

The body's nervous system responds differently to hormones during sleep in women with PMS. This might help explain some sleep problems in PMS. The main limitation is the very small sample (only 12 women with PMS).

12

women with severe PMS

14

healthy women

3

menstrual cycle phases measured

## About the study

Original title Autonomic regulation across phases of the menstrual cycle and sleep stages in women with premenstrual syndrome and healthy controls Authors de Zambotti M, Nicholas CL, Colrain IM et al. Journal Psychoneuroendocrinology Year 2013 Study design Case-control study Participants 12 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.06.005](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.06.005)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)

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