---
title: When do different PMS symptoms happen during the menstrual cycle?
description: Physical symptoms peaked every 28 days in most women. About half showed this pattern for depression, behaviour, tension and concentration symptoms. Physical a
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/temporal-sequence-of-symptoms-in-women-complaining-of-pms-1988/
---

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- When do different PMS symptoms happen during the menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 1988

# When do different PMS symptoms happen during the menstrual cycle?

Physical symptoms peaked every 28 days in most women. About half showed this pattern for depression, behaviour, tension and concentration symptoms. Physical and tension symptoms tended to come 1-2 days before depression peaked.

 Early or limited evidence

Women reporting premenstrual syndrome

## What they did

Researchers tracked 5 groups of symptoms (physical, depression, behaviour, tension, and cognitive) over several menstrual cycles in women reporting PMS. They analysed when each symptom group peaked.

## What they found

Most women showed 28-day peaks in physical symptoms. Approximately half showed similar peaks for depression, behaviour, tension and cognitive symptoms. When these peaks occurred, physical and tension symptoms typically preceded depression symptoms by approximately 1-2 days.

## What it means for you

Physical symptoms may be more reliably tied to the menstrual cycle than mood and concentration symptoms in PMS. The timing difference between physical and mood symptoms suggests they may be connected, but this study cannot explain what causes these patterns or why they happen.

5

symptom groups tracked

28-day

cycle peak pattern

1-2 days

timing difference before mood symptoms

## About the study

Original title Temporal sequence of symptoms in women complaining of PMS Authors Grahame J. Coleman, William George Hart, JON W. RUSSELL Journal Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology Year 1988 Study design Survey study Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/01674828809075143](https://doi.org/10.3109/01674828809075143)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)

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