---
title: Does progesterone affect sleep or breathing during different parts of the menstrual cycle?
description: No clear difference. Although progesterone levels change significantly across the cycle, sleep and breathing did not change significantly with these changes i
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/progesterone-levels-and-sleep-related-breathing-during-menstrual-cycles-of-1985/
---

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- Does progesterone affect sleep or breathing during different parts of the menstrual cycle?

Study, 1985

# Does progesterone affect sleep or breathing during different parts of the menstrual cycle?

No clear difference. Although progesterone levels change significantly across the cycle, sleep and breathing did not change significantly with these changes in progesterone.

 Early or limited evidence

11 normal menstruating women

## What they did

Sleep, breathing, and hormone levels were measured in 11 women during times when progesterone was high and during times when progesterone was low.

## What they found

No significant changes were found in sleep or breathing even though progesterone levels changed significantly across the menstrual cycle.

## What it means for you

Even though progesterone has been thought to protect women from sleep breathing problems, this study did not find that progesterone affects breathing during sleep. The study is very small with only 11 women and measured only at two timepoints.

11

women studied

2

timepoints measured

## About the study

Original title Progesterone levels and sleep-related breathing during menstrual cycles of normal women Authors Stahl ML, Orr WC, Males JL Journal Sleep Year 1985 Study design Study What was tested None (observation only) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1093/sleep/8.3.227](https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/8.3.227)

## Topics

[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)

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