---
title: How do hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect sleep?
description: Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect sleep quality. Women with PMS or PMDD often have poor sleep and daytime fatigue. During menopause, 40 to 60
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/overview-of-sleep-and-gender-differences-2026/
---

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- How do hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect sleep?

Survey study, 2026

# How do hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect sleep?

Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect sleep quality. Women with PMS or PMDD often have poor sleep and daytime fatigue. During menopause, 40 to 60 out of 100 women have sleep problems due to falling estrogen and hot flashes.

 Early or limited evidence

Women across different life stages.

## What they did

This was an overview of how sleep patterns change in women across different life stages including puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, and how hormones influence sleep.

## What they found

Sleep quality changes during the menstrual cycle due to hormonal shifts. PMS and PMDD are linked to poor sleep and daytime fatigue. During pregnancy, hormonal changes, physical discomfort, and fetal movements disrupt sleep. During menopause, 40 to 60 out of 100 women have sleep problems including insomnia and fragmented sleep, largely because estrogen levels fall and women experience hot flashes. After menopause, obstructive sleep apnea becomes more common, with higher risks of heart problems.

## What it means for you

Hormones affect how women sleep throughout their lives, particularly during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. Sleep problems linked to menstruation are common in PMS and PMDD. The main limitation is that this overview does not describe testing any specific treatment.

40-60%

Women with sleep problems during menopause

## About the study

Original title Overview of Sleep and Gender Differences Authors Cherukuri CM, Padia H, Hassan F Journal Sleep medicine clinics Year 2026 Study design Survey study What was tested None. This was an overview article describing what is known about sleep and menstrual hormones. Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.jsmc.2026.02.001](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsmc.2026.02.001)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Perimenopause and menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-perimenopause/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/)

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