---
title: Can exercise and bright light help with depression in women with PMS?
description: In this study, women with PMS who added regular exercise and bright light exposure to their routine ended up with lower depression scores than those who didn'
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/sun-006-light-and-exercise-therapy-improves-depression-in-women-with-2020/
---

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- Can exercise and bright light help with depression in women with PMS?

Survey study, 2020

# Can exercise and bright light help with depression in women with PMS?

In this study, women with PMS who added regular exercise and bright light exposure to their routine ended up with lower depression scores than those who didn't, but because the groups weren't randomly assigned we can't be fully sure the therapy itself caused the difference.

 Early or limited evidence

803 women with PMS in a community depression and anxiety program, mean age 38.8

## What they did

1,968 women in a community mental-health program were surveyed; 803 reported PMS (mean age 38.8). All filled out a 75-item depression questionnaire at start and end. The program taught exercise (40+ min, 5x/week) and bright light exposure (20-40 min/day). Groups were not randomised: 280 women adopted the routine, 125 did not.

## What they found

Average depression score at the start was 15.3 (SD 15.3). Among those who adopted the exercise and light routine, the end-of-program average dropped to 6.2 (SD 5.5), and 29.6% said they no longer had PMS symptoms. Among those who didn't adopt it, the average was 7.7 (SD 5.5), with 27.2% symptom-free.

## What it means for you

Exercise and light exposure may help ease PMS-related depression and could be a drug-free option worth considering, but this wasn't a controlled experiment: groups chose their own routine rather than being randomly assigned, so other factors could explain the difference.

15.3

Baseline depression score

6.2

End score with therapy

29.6%

Symptom-free with therapy

## About the study

Original title SUN-006 Light and Exercise Therapy Improves Depression in Women with Premenstrual Syndrome Authors Tsikirai T, Ramirez F, Nedley N Journal Journal of the Endocrine Society Year 2020 Study design Survey study What was tested Lifestyle program combining exercise (40+ minutes, 5x/week) and bright light exposure (20-40 minutes/day) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvaa046.1929](https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvaa046.1929)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Light therapy and sleep deprivation](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-light-therapy/)

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.

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