--- title: Do women with severe PMS have measurable sleep problems? | Niyora description: Women with severe PMS feel they sleep much worse before their period, but sleep measurements show similar patterns to healthy women. Some brain wave differenc url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/sleep-quality-and-the-sleep-electroencephalogram-in-women-with-severe-2007/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with severe PMS have measurable sleep problems? Case-control study, 2007 # Do women with severe PMS have measurable sleep problems? Women with severe PMS feel they sleep much worse before their period, but sleep measurements show similar patterns to healthy women. Some brain wave differences suggest PMS may affect sleep in subtle ways. Early or limited evidence 9 women with severe PMS or PMDD and 12 healthy controls, aged 18-40 ## What they did Compared 9 women with severe PMS or PMDD to 12 healthy controls aged 18-40. Both groups had their sleep measured in a lab during two phases of their cycle: early in the cycle and pre-menstrually. Measurements included what women reported about sleep quality and recordings of brain wave activity during sleep. ## What they found Women with severe PMS reported feeling they slept much worse pre-menstrually. Sleep recordings showed both groups had increased wakefulness and brain activity during the pre-menstrual phase. However, these patterns were similar between women with PMS and healthy women. Women with PMS did show some different brain wave patterns compared to controls at all times of their cycle: less deep sleep activity and more of certain types of brain waves. ## What it means for you Women with PMS often feel they sleep worse before their period, but standard sleep measurements may not pick up the problem. Some brain wave patterns in women with PMS may indicate subtle changes to sleep related to the condition. The main limit is this is a very small study with only 9 women, so more research is needed to understand sleep changes in PMS. 9 women with severe PMS or PMDD 12 healthy controls ## About the study Original title Sleep quality and the sleep electroencephalogram in women with severe premenstrual syndrome Authors Baker FC, Kahan TL, Trinder J et al. Journal Sleep Year 2007 Study design Case-control study Participants 12 What was tested No intervention; observational comparison across two cycle phases Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1093/sleep/30.10.1283](https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/30.10.1283) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/) 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 Review, 2024 What do brain wave patterns show about PMS and PMDD? Cohort study, 2026 What life and psychological factors are linked to PMS and PMDD? Review, 2026 How do hormone changes affect sleep in women? Survey study, 2025 Does PMDD affect screen time, sleep quality, and how fast people react? Survey study, 2025 How does sexual desire change during the menstrual cycle? Survey study, 2025 Are premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms, stress, and sleep quality linked in female nursing students? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗