---
title: How does emotional tension and thinking ability change across the menstrual cycle?
description: Emotional tension is lowest and thinking ability is highest during the luteal phase. This is connected to progesterone levels.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/cognitive-efficiency-and-psychoemotional-tension-in-the-various-menstrual-cycle-2013/
---

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- How does emotional tension and thinking ability change across the menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 2013

# How does emotional tension and thinking ability change across the menstrual cycle?

Emotional tension is lowest and thinking ability is highest during the luteal phase. This is connected to progesterone levels.

 Early or limited evidence

67 healthy women aged 18-25

## What they did

Measured thinking ability, emotional stress, creativity, hearing, and nerve activity in 67 healthy women aged 18-25 across different cycle phases using saliva hormone samples. Each woman was compared to her own baseline across her cycle.

## What they found

Emotional tension was lowest in the luteal phase and thinking ability was highest then. Creativity was highest in ovulatory and luteal phases. Hearing sensitivity and activation were highest in follicular and ovulatory phases. These changes correlated with progesterone levels.

## What it means for you

The menstrual cycle affects emotional calmness and thinking ability, driven by hormone changes, especially progesterone. The study only included healthy women aged 18-25, so results may not apply to women with PMS or PMDD or older women.

67

Women studied

9-12 times

Measurements per woman

1-2

Menstrual cycles tracked

## About the study

Original title [Cognitive efficiency and psychoemotional tension in the various menstrual cycle phases] Authors Bazanova OM, Коndratenko AV, Кuz'minova OI et al. Journal Rossiiskii fiziologicheskii zhurnal imeni I.M. Sechenova Year 2013 Study design Survey study Participants 67 What was tested None - measured natural cycle changes Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25470918/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25470918/)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)

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