---
title: Does mood change during the menstrual cycle? | Niyora
description: Group data showed some mood changes across the cycle, with fatigue and depression lower before menstruation and anger lower during menstruation. But individua
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/changes-in-moods-and-activation-levels-during-the-menstrual-cycle-in-1982/
---

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- Does mood change during the menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 1982

# Does mood change during the menstrual cycle?

Group data showed some mood changes across the cycle, with fatigue and depression lower before menstruation and anger lower during menstruation. But individual tracking showed few changes, and women's memories of their moods did not match their daily recordings.

 Early or limited evidence

7 normally menstruating women

## What they did

Seven women filled out daily mood questionnaires for 90 days without knowing the study was about menstruation. Researchers analyzed their records to see if moods and energy levels changed in different phases of the cycle.

## What they found

Group analysis showed fatigue, confusion, and depression were lower in the premenstrual phase than around ovulation. Anger and confusion were lower during menstruation than around ovulation. General activation was higher before menstruation. Individual daily data showed few significant mood changes. Women's retrospective reports about premenstrual mood problems did not match their daily ratings.

## What it means for you

Mood may change across the cycle for some women but not others. People's memories of their moods may not be accurate. This was a very small study with only 7 women and no comparison group, so findings are very limited.

7

women tracked daily

90

days of tracking

3

menstrual cycle phases analyzed

## About the study

Original title Changes in Moods and Activation Levels During the Menstrual Cycle in Experimentally Naive Subjects Authors Mary Brown Parlee Journal Psychology of Women Quarterly Year 1982 Study design Survey study What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.1982.tb00824.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.1982.tb00824.x)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)

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