Survey study, 2021
Does the menstrual cycle affect how emotions and heart rate connect?
In the luteal phase, women's sadness, stress, and anxiety were linked to increased heart rate and reduced heart rhythm variation, but this was not seen in the follicular phase. Women also showed larger heart rate increases with anger than men.
What they did
Researchers monitored 174 people (87 women and 87 men) ages 18-46 over 5 days using a portable heart monitor and checked in about their emotions every 30 minutes. Women were monitored during both the early follicular and luteal phases.
What they found
In both men and women, negative emotions and happiness were linked to increased heart rate. Women showed larger heart rate increases when angry compared to men. During the luteal phase only, women's sadness, stress, and anxiety predicted higher heart rate and reduced heart rhythm variation. These links did not appear in the follicular phase.
What it means for you
Women's emotions affect their heart rate differently depending on where they are in their menstrual cycle. The luteal phase appears to be when emotions have the biggest impact on heart function. The study was done during everyday life (not a lab), which makes the findings real-world relevant. Emotions were self-reported every 30 minutes, which might not capture all emotional changes.
174
total participants
87
women
31.2
average age in years
About the study
- Original title
- Taking context to heart: Momentary emotions, menstrual cycle phase, and cardiac autonomic regulation
- Authors
- Simon SG, Sloan RP, Thayer JF et al.
- Journal
- Psychophysiology
- Year
- 2021
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 174
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1111/psyp.13765
Topics
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