---
title: Does premenstrual tension slow how quickly women react to sounds and lights?
description: Yes. Women took longer to react to both sounds and lights during their premenstrual phase compared to the postmenstrual phase.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effect-of-premenstrual-tension-on-audiovisual-reaction-time-2015/
---

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- Does premenstrual tension slow how quickly women react to sounds and lights?

Study, 2015

# Does premenstrual tension slow how quickly women react to sounds and lights?

Yes. Women took longer to react to both sounds and lights during their premenstrual phase compared to the postmenstrual phase.

 Moderate study design

100 healthy female medical students aged 17-21

## What they did

Measured reaction time (how fast women respond to sounds and lights) in 100 healthy female medical students aged 17-21. They tested women during two phases of their cycle: the premenstrual phase and the postmenstrual phase.

## What they found

Both visual reaction time and auditory reaction time were slower during the premenstrual phase than during the postmenstrual phase.

## What it means for you

Hormonal changes before your period may slow how your brain processes sensory information. The study only included young, healthy medical students, so results may not apply to women with severe PMS or older women.

100

healthy female medical students

17-21

age range

## About the study

Original title Effect of premenstrual tension on audiovisual reaction time Authors VaishaliM Paunikar, D Rajashree Journal MRIMS Journal of Health Sciences Year 2015 Study design Study Participants 100 What was tested None (measurement study comparing two phases of the cycle) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.4103/2321-7006.301951](https://doi.org/10.4103/2321-7006.301951)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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