--- title: Does anxiety before your period affect how clearly you speak? description: No. Women spoke equally clearly at ovulation and before their period, even though anxiety is typically higher before menstruation. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/replication-of-speech-fluency-fluctuations-during-the-menstrual-cycle-1976/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does anxiety before your period affect how clearly you speak? Study, 1976 # Does anxiety before your period affect how clearly you speak? No. Women spoke equally clearly at ovulation and before their period, even though anxiety is typically higher before menstruation. Early or limited evidence 20 women ## What they did 20 women read aloud at two points in their cycle: at ovulation (when anxiety is usually low and mood is best) and before their period (when anxiety is usually high). ## What they found Women read with equal fluency at both times. Their speech was just as clear before their period as at ovulation. ## What it means for you Higher anxiety before your period does not seem to affect how clearly you speak. However, the study was very small with only 20 women and only tested reading aloud. More research with larger groups is needed. 20 women ## About the study Original title Replication of "speech fluency fluctuations during the menstrual cycle" Authors Silverman EM, Zimmer CH Journal Perceptual and motor skills Year 1976 Study design Study Participants 20 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.2466/pms.1976.42.3.1004](https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1976.42.3.1004) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[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. ## Related studies Randomised trial, 2026 Does Kundalini Reiki help reduce PMS symptoms and improve quality of life? Randomised trial, 2026 Does calcium and vitamin D supplementation reduce PMS symptoms? Randomised trial, 2026 Does aerobic or resistance exercise reduce anxiety in women with PMS? Systematic review, 2026 Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms? Systematic review, 2026 Do mindfulness and relaxation techniques help with PMS symptoms? Cohort study, 2025 Do women with PMS or PMDD report lower quality of life than women without these conditions? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗