--- title: Does sleep change across the menstrual cycle? | Niyora description: No clear difference in healthy women. Objective sleep measurements remained stable across the menstrual cycle. Women approaching menopause reported feeling th url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/0111-wearable-based-measures-of-sleep-across-the-menstrual-cycle-in-healthy-2023/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does sleep change across the menstrual cycle? Lab study, 2023 # Does sleep change across the menstrual cycle? No clear difference in healthy women. Objective sleep measurements remained stable across the menstrual cycle. Women approaching menopause reported feeling they slept worse overall compared to younger women, though their actual sleep duration was similar. Moderate study design 56 healthy women without sleep disorders or mood complaints (31 reproductive stage, 25 early menopause) ## What they did 56 healthy women (31 reproductive stage, 25 early menopause) wore a sleep-tracking ring across a full ovulatory menstrual cycle. The ring measured sleep time, efficiency, awakenings, body temperature, heart rate, and heart rate variability. Women kept sleep diaries and had mood assessments during four cycle phases: menses, ovulation, mid-luteal, and late-luteal. ## What they found Objective sleep measurements did not change across the menstrual cycle in either age group. Self-reported sleep quality and mood remained stable. Body temperature, heart rate, and heart rate variability showed expected changes across the cycle. Women in early menopause reported worse sleep quality overall but had similar objective sleep to younger women. ## What it means for you In healthy women without premenstrual or mood complaints, sleep measured objectively does not change across the menstrual cycle. Findings may not apply to women with PMS or PMDD, who were excluded from the study. Women approaching menopause may feel they sleep worse, but actual sleep duration and continuity remain similar to younger women. 56 women total 31 reproductive stage women 25 women in early menopause ## About the study Original title 0111 Wearable-based Measures of Sleep Across the Menstrual Cycle in Healthy Women in the Reproductive Stage and Early Menopause Authors Elisabet Alzueta, Marie Gombert, Leticia Camacho et al. Journal SLEEP Year 2023 Study design Lab study Participants 56 What was tested None. Researchers tracked sleep continuously with a wearable device. Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsad077.0111](https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsad077.0111) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Apps and digital interventions](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-digital-health/)[Perimenopause and menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-perimenopause/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/) 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. ## Related studies Randomised trial, 2001 Do changing reproductive hormones disrupt the body's internal clock and cause mood disorders? Study, 2025 Do women have different symptom patterns before, during, and after menopause? Study, 2024 How do finger temperature, heart rate, and sleep change across the menstrual cycle? Study, 2022 Which premenstrual symptoms change with the menstrual cycle in midlife women? Survey study, 2021 How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect women's menstrual cycles and symptoms? Study, 2026 How can lifestyle changes help reduce premenstrual syndrome? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗