Case-control study, 2021
Does sleep quality change across the menstrual cycle in women with anxiety disorders?
Sleep quality remained mostly stable across menstrual cycle phases in both groups. The only link found was that larger increases in estradiol were associated with fewer nighttime awakenings.
What they did
Researchers measured sleep in 31 women with generalized anxiety disorder and 32 without at two menstrual cycle phases: early follicular (low hormone levels) and mid-luteal (high hormone levels). They assessed sleep quality, insomnia symptoms, daytime sleepiness, and sleep characteristics.
What they found
Women with anxiety reported worse sleep quality, more insomnia, and more daytime sleepiness than those without. However, in both groups, sleep characteristics remained similar across the two menstrual phases. A larger increase in estradiol between phases was linked to fewer nighttime awakenings.
What it means for you
Sleep problems may not change with menstrual hormones the way other psychiatric symptoms do. The study measured sleep at only two points in one cycle, so it could have missed changes at other times. The study focused on anxiety, not PMS, so findings may not apply directly to premenstrual conditions.
31
women with anxiety disorder
32
women without anxiety disorder
-0.26
association between estradiol increase and fewer awakenings
About the study
- Original title
- Subjective sleep quality and characteristics across the menstrual cycle in women with and without Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Authors
- Li SH, Lloyd AR, Graham BM
- Journal
- Journal of psychosomatic research
- Year
- 2021
- Study design
- Case-control study
- Participants
- 32
- What was tested
- None - observational comparison of two groups at different menstrual phases.
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110570
Topics
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