Survey study, 2013
Does the link between cortisol and feeling stressed change during the menstrual cycle?
Yes. In the follicular phase, higher cortisol was linked with feeling less stressed afterward. In the luteal phase, higher cortisol was linked with feeling more stressed afterward. This suggests hormones change how the body's physical stress response relates to emotional experience.
What they did
45 women in either the follicular or luteal phase of their menstrual cycle completed a stressful social task. Researchers measured their cortisol (stress hormone) levels from saliva and asked them how stressed they felt during and after the task.
What they found
The relationship between cortisol level and subjective stress was opposite in the two cycle phases. Women in the follicular phase with higher peak cortisol reported less stress afterward, while women in the luteal phase with higher peak cortisol reported more stress afterward. This suggests hormones change how the body's stress system relates to emotional feelings.
What it means for you
Sex hormones appear to change how the body's physical stress response (measured by cortisol) relates to a woman's emotional experience of stress. This finding is important for understanding emotional regulation changes across the cycle. However, the study was small and tested only one type of stressful task, so larger studies in different settings are needed.
45
women total
21
in follicular phase
About the study
- Original title
- Association between subjective and cortisol stress response depends on the menstrual cycle phase
- Authors
- Duchesne A, Pruessner JC
- Journal
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Year
- 2013
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 21
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.08.009