--- title: How do menstrual health and mental health affect each other? | Niyora description: Menstrual problems like PMS, painful periods, and endometriosis affect mood, stress, and thinking. Poor mental health can make menstrual symptoms worse. Conne url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-health-and-mental-well-being-a-biopsychosocial-framework-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How do menstrual health and mental health affect each other? Survey study, 2025 # How do menstrual health and mental health affect each other? Menstrual problems like PMS, painful periods, and endometriosis affect mood, stress, and thinking. Poor mental health can make menstrual symptoms worse. Connections involve hormones, emotions like stigma and body image, and social factors like education and hygiene access. Early or limited evidence Literature-based framework synthesizing evidence about relationships between menstrual health and mental health from multiple studies ## What they did Researchers reviewed research evidence about the connections between menstrual experiences and mental health. They used a biopsychosocial framework, which examines biological, psychological, and social factors together rather than looking at just one aspect. ## What they found Menstrual conditions like PMS, painful periods (dysmenorrhea), and endometriosis affect mood, stress responses, and thinking ability. Psychological factors such as stigma and body image concerns shape menstrual experiences. Social and cultural factors like menstrual taboos, lack of access to hygiene products, and lack of education make these problems worse, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Poor menstrual health can lead to anxiety, depression, and reduced quality of life. There is a two-way relationship: severe menstrual problems increase mental health problems, and poor mental health makes menstrual symptoms worse. ## What it means for you Menstrual health and mental health are connected. Treatment needs to address both physical and emotional aspects. Communities should provide education, access to products, and emotional support, not just medical treatment. This suggests menstrual health is a public health and human rights issue. The paper recommends school education, community programs, and multi-sector action. 3 types of factors affecting health two-way direction of relationship ## About the study Original title Menstrual Health and Mental Well-Being: A Biopsychosocial Framework Authors Rajnandani Kumari, Dr. Suvidha, Km. Sangeeta et al. Journal Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) Year 2025 Study design Survey study Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18783923](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18783923) Original abstract Abstract Menstrual health is becoming more widely acknowledged as a complex problem that affects social, psychological, and physical well-being. This study examines the relationships between menstruation experiences, mental health, and larger sociocultural contexts. It is based on Engel's biopsychosocial model. Hormonal changes, dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and diseases like endometriosis are examples of biological factors that affect mood, stress reactions, and cognitive performance. Menstrual experiences are further shaped by psychological factors such as emotional anguish, stigma, and body image issues. Menstrual taboos, a lack of resources for hygiene, and a lack of education are examples of social and cultural circumstances that make problems worse, especially in low- and middle-income environments. When taken as a whole, these elements highlight how crucial it is to comprehend menstruation as a human rights and public health issue. Inadequate management of menstruation health can lead to worry, despair, and a lower quality of life, according to evidence from recent international research. It also emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between menstruation health and mental health, whereby severe menstrual difficulties increase susceptibility to psychological diseases and poor psychological health exacerbates menstrual symptoms. Integrative treatments that integrate medical interventions with psychosocial support, education, and legislative reforms are necessary, as the biopsychosocial perspective makes clear. By situating menstruation within a biopsychosocial framework, this study contributes to reframing menstrual health as a critical determinant of overall well-being rather than a narrowly defined physiological process. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research, school- and community-based education, and multi-sectoral interventions to promote menstrual equity and improve mental health outcomes Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Endometriosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-endometriosis/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/) 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 Study, 2023 How does menstruation affect different areas of women's lives? Study, 2026 What coping strategies help women manage PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2026 Why is understanding PMS awareness in teenage girls important? Interview study, 2026 What do women and their partners think about a PMS tracking app? Survey study, 2025 How much do period problems like painful periods and PMS affect college girls' daily lives? Survey study, 2023 How common is PMS among women in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan and what factors are related to it? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗