Survey study, 2026
Is poor sleep linked to PMS and other period problems?
Yes. In this study, women with worse sleep and insomnia symptoms were more likely to report PMS, painful periods, and irregular cycles, but this only shows a link, not that poor sleep causes these problems.
What they did
Researchers studied 150 women aged 18 to 40 at a hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. They measured sleep quality with a standard questionnaire (PSQI), asked about insomnia symptoms, and recorded period symptoms, all at one point in time.
What they found
Poor sleep quality was found in 52.0% of women and insomnia symptoms in 47.3%. PMS was reported by 62.0%, painful periods by 70.0%, heavy bleeding by 32.0%, and irregular cycles by 40.0%. Women with PMS had worse average sleep scores than those without (7.8 vs 5.6). Insomnia symptoms were linked to painful periods (odds ratio 3.3), and women with irregular cycles slept less on average (5.1 vs 6.4 hours).
What it means for you
This suggests sleep problems and period problems tend to occur together, so improving sleep habits might help, but the study cannot prove sleep causes these symptoms. It looked at only one group of women in one Pakistani city at a single point in time, with no before-and-after comparison.
62.0%
Had PMS
52.0%
Poor sleep quality
3.3
Insomnia and painful periods odds ratio
About the study
- Original title
- Association of Sleep Duration and Insomnia with Menstrual Cycle Disturbances Among Pakistani Women Aged 18-40 Years
- Authors
- Maria Nazir, Samina Khurshid, Misbah Khurshid et al.
- Journal
- Annals of King Edward Medical University
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 150
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.21649/akemu.v32i2.6040
Original abstract
Background: Sleep problems particularly insomnia and poor sleep quality have been linked to menstrual disturbances; however, evidence from Pakistan is limited. Objectives: To determine the association between sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, and menstrual cycle disturbances among Pakistani women aged 18-40 years. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ali Fatima Hospital, Lahore. Using simple random sampling, 150 women aged 18-40 years were enrolled. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and insomnia symptoms and menstrual characteristics were recorded using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SPSS version 26, with p 5) was present in 78/150 (52.0%) and insomnia symptoms in 71/150 (47.3%). Premenstrual syndrome was reported by 93 women (62.0%), dysmenorrhea by 105 women (70.0%), heavy menstrual bleeding by 48 (32.0%), and irregular cycles by 60 women (40.0%). Mean PSQI scores were higher among participants with premenstrual syndrome than those without (7.8 (SD 1.9) vs 5.6 (SD 2.2); p=0.02). Insomnia symptoms were associated with dysmenorrhea (odds ratio 3.3; p=0.01), and irregular cycles were associated with shorter sleep duration (5.1 ± 1.2 vs 6.4 ± 1.1 hours; p<0.01). Conclusion: Poor sleep quality, insomnia symptoms, and shorter sleep duration were associated with menstrual disturbances in this population. Screening for sleep problems and counselling on sleep hygiene may help improve menstrual health.
Reproduced under CC-BY.
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