--- title: Does the menstrual cycle affect sleep, energy, and injury risk in young female athletes? description: Yes. Young female athletes reported worse sleep and more tiredness during the luteal phase, particularly the week before their period. They also had more inju url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/injury-risk-and-overall-well-being-during-the-menstrual-cycle-in-elite-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does the menstrual cycle affect sleep, energy, and injury risk in young female athletes? Study, 2025 # Does the menstrual cycle affect sleep, energy, and injury risk in young female athletes? Yes. Young female athletes reported worse sleep and more tiredness during the luteal phase, particularly the week before their period. They also had more injuries during these phases. Moderate study design 59 young elite female team athletes aged 14 to 18 ## What they did Researchers tracked 59 young elite female athletes aged 14 to 18 for one sports season. They recorded sleep quality, tiredness, injuries, and menstrual cycle phase (early follicular, late follicular, early luteal, late luteal). ## What they found During the early luteal and late luteal (pre-menstrual) phases, athletes reported clearly worse sleep quality and more tiredness compared to other phases of their cycle. Injury rates were significantly higher during the luteal phases. ## What it means for you Young female athletes may need adjusted training or extra recovery time during the luteal phase, especially the pre-menstrual week, when sleep and energy drop and injury risk increases. Coaches could track where athletes are in their cycle and modify practice accordingly. This study looked only at elite team athletes, so findings may not apply to all athletes or sports. 59 young female athletes tracked 14-18 age range 1 season duration of tracking ## About the study Original title Injury Risk and Overall Well-Being During the Menstrual Cycle in Elite Adolescent Team Sports Athletes Authors Fort-Vanmeerhaeghe A, Pujol-Marzo M, Milà R et al. Journal Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Year 2025 Study design Study What was tested None—observational tracking Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13101154](https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13101154) Original abstract Background/objectives: The impact of the menstrual cycle on the well-being and injury risk of young elite female athletes is poorly understood. This study assessed how the menstrual cycle phase influences perceived well-being and injury risk among young elite female team athletes aged 14-18 throughout a season. Methods: Wellness data, time-loss injuries, and menstrual cycle information were prospectively recorded for 59 young elite female team players throughout one season. The menstrual cycle was categorized into four phases using a standardized model: early follicular (menstruation), late follicular, early luteal, and late luteal (pre-menstrual) phases. Results: Significant differences were observed in wellness data, especially in sleep and fatigue, with poorer sleep quality and greater fatigue reported during the early luteal and late luteal (pre-menstrual) phases ( p p = 0.024 and p = 0.040, respectively). Conclusions: In elite female team athletes, poor sleep, increased fatigue, and elevated injury risk were significantly observed during the luteal phases of the menstrual cycle (early and pre-menstrual). These findings emphasize the importance of individualized monitoring and adaptive training strategies to mitigate the physiological effects of the menstrual cycle on athletic performance and injury risk. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Fatigue and energy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-fatigue/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)[Athletes and sport](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-athletes/) 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. ## Related studies Randomised trial, 2025 Does whole-body cryostimulation improve sleep quality in female athletes during different menstrual phases? Survey study, 2025 What are menstrual cycle patterns in elite female basketball players? Survey study, 2024 Does the menstrual cycle affect well-being and performance in professional female soccer players? Systematic review, 2022 Do athletes' feelings and performance change across the menstrual cycle? Cohort study, 2024 How does sleep change across your menstrual cycle? Survey study, 2024 Are menstrual cycle symptoms related to sleep problems and mental health in female athletes? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗