Randomised trial, 1995
Does partial sleep deprivation help PMDD symptoms?
Not directly. Women with PMDD improved after recovery sleep (getting normal sleep) but not from the sleep deprivation itself, and placebo effects cannot be ruled out.
What they did
Randomized crossover trial in 23 women with PMDD and 18 healthy controls during the premenstrual phase. Participants tried two types of partial sleep deprivation: early-night (sleep 3 to 7 a.m.) and late-night (sleep 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.), each followed by full recovery sleep.
What they found
Women with PMDD showed significantly lower depression ratings after recovery sleep compared to baseline in both conditions. Ratings on the day after deprivation (before recovery) tended to be lower but were not significantly different. Healthy women showed no mood changes. Depressive retardation (slowed thinking and movement) was the most responsive symptom.
What it means for you
Unlike in major depression, sleep deprivation itself did not help PMDD. Improvement came only after recovery sleep, suggesting placebo effects may be involved. The clinical significance is unclear, and this treatment is not established for PMDD.
23
Women with PMDD
18
Healthy control women
About the study
- Original title
- Early versus late partial sleep deprivation in patients with premenstrual dysphoric disorder and normal comparison subjects
- Authors
- Parry BL, Cover H, Mostofi N et al.
- Journal
- The American journal of psychiatry
- Year
- 1995
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 23
- What was tested
- Early-night sleep deprivation, late-night sleep deprivation, and recovery sleep
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1176/ajp.152.3.404
Topics
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