---
title: How does the menstrual cycle affect women's sleep? | Niyora
description: We cannot yet draw clear conclusions because existing studies are small and use different methods. However, sleep is almost always disrupted during pregnancy
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/sleep-in-women-across-the-life-cycle-from-adulthood-through-menopause-2003/
---

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- How does the menstrual cycle affect women's sleep?

Cohort study, 2003

# How does the menstrual cycle affect women's sleep?

We cannot yet draw clear conclusions because existing studies are small and use different methods. However, sleep is almost always disrupted during pregnancy and postpartum, and menopause often causes insomnia.

 Moderate study design

This is a review of studies in women across their lifecycle

## What they did

This article reviewed existing studies about women's sleep during different life stages including the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause. It examined both survey and sleep recording studies.

## What they found

Studies so far have been small with different methods, making it impossible to reach definite conclusions about how the menstrual cycle and oral contraceptives affect sleep. Sleep disruption in pregnancy and postpartum is nearly universal. Menopause is associated with insomnia due to hot flashes, mood disorders, and increased sleep-disordered breathing.

## What it means for you

For the menstrual cycle and sleep, we need much larger and more consistent research. For pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause, there is stronger evidence that these affect sleep, though more research is still needed.

## About the study

Original title Sleep in women across the life cycle from adulthood through menopause Authors Moline ML, Broch L, Zak R et al. Journal Sleep medicine reviews Year 2003 Study design Cohort study What was tested None - this is a review article Read the paper [doi.org/10.1053/smrv.2001.0228](https://doi.org/10.1053/smrv.2001.0228)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Estradiol, progesterone and hormone therapy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormone-therapy/)[Perimenopause and menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-perimenopause/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/)

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

Survey study, 2010

Does the menstrual cycle affect sleep quality in women with sleep problems?

Randomised trial, 2001

Do changing reproductive hormones disrupt the body's internal clock and cause mood disorders?

Systematic review, 2023

What hormonal treatments have been tested for PMDD, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy?

Review, 2025

How does progesterone affect mood and brain function?

Lab study, 2023

Does sleep change across the menstrual cycle?

Review, 2019

How does the menstrual cycle affect migraine in women?

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