The Menstrual Cycle and Sleep

Abstract

Aspects of sleep change across the menstrual cycle in some women. Poorer sleep quality in the premenstrual phase and menstruation is common in women with premenstrual symptoms or painful menstrual cramps. Although objective sleep continuity remains unchanged across the regular, asymptomatic menstrual cycle, activity in the sleep electroencephalogram varies, with a prominent increase in sleep spindle activity in the postovulatory luteal phase, when progesterone is present, relative to the follicular phase. Menstrual cycle phase, reproductive stage, and menstrual-related disorders should be considered when assessing women's sleep complaints.

Keywords: Follicular; Luteal; Menstrual cycle; Reproduction; Sleep.

Figure 1:

Schematic representation of changes in hormones and termperature across a typical 28-day ovulatory menstrual cycle, where 1 represent the first day of bleeding and 14 the day of ovulation.