---
title: How does sleep affect hormone pulses during the menstrual cycle?
description: When women slept, their LH pulses (fertility hormone) occurred less frequently but stronger. Brief awakenings 5-15 minutes before LH pulses suggest sleep inte
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/brief-wake-episodes-modulate-sleep-inhibited-luteinizing-hormone-secretion-in-2005/
---

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- How does sleep affect hormone pulses during the menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 2005

# How does sleep affect hormone pulses during the menstrual cycle?

When women slept, their LH pulses (fertility hormone) occurred less frequently but stronger. Brief awakenings 5-15 minutes before LH pulses suggest sleep interruptions trigger hormone release. This small study (11 women) examined one cycle phase, limiting broader application of findings.

 Early or limited evidence

11 women during the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle

## What they did

11 women underwent sleep monitoring and frequent blood tests to measure LH hormone levels during the early part of their menstrual cycle. The study had three periods: one normal night of sleep, one night without sleep, and one afternoon nap.

## What they found

LH pulses were more widely spaced during sleep than when awake. LH pulse strength was higher during sleep. Brief awakenings happened 5-15 minutes before most LH pulses. Time of day also mattered, with higher LH levels in the evening when not sleeping.

## What it means for you

Sleep affects key fertility hormones, which might help explain why sleep is important for menstrual health. The main limitation is the very small sample of 11 women, and the study only looked at one phase of the cycle, so findings may not apply throughout the menstrual cycle.

11

women studied

40 hours

observation period

5-15 minutes

before LH pulses when waking occurred

## About the study

Original title Brief wake episodes modulate sleep-inhibited luteinizing hormone secretion in the early follicular phase Authors Hall JE, Sullivan JP, Richardson GS Journal The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism Year 2005 Study design Survey study Participants 11 What was tested Sleep deprivation and waking protocol during follicular phase Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1210/jc.2004-2033](https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2004-2033)

## Topics

[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)

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