---
title: What happens to your nervous system during PMS? | Niyora
description: During PMS, your heart rate and blood pressure increase more than after your period, and your body reacts more strongly to cold. This happens because your ner
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effect-of-premenstrual-stress-on-autonomic-function-2010/
---

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- What happens to your nervous system during PMS?

Study, 2010

# What happens to your nervous system during PMS?

During PMS, your heart rate and blood pressure increase more than after your period, and your body reacts more strongly to cold. This happens because your nervous system becomes more active during the premenstrual phase.

 Moderate study design

80 women aged 18 to 25 years, with 40 having PMS and 40 without.

## What they did

The researchers measured heart rate, blood pressure, and how the body reacts to cold in 80 women aged 18 to 25. They tested 40 women with PMS and 40 without, measuring them during the premenstrual phase and after their period.

## What they found

In women with PMS, heart rate, blood pressure, and response to cold were all significantly higher during the premenstrual phase than after the period. The difference between phases was much bigger in women with PMS than in women without PMS.

## What it means for you

During PMS, something in your body makes your nervous system more active. This is probably due to hormonal changes that affect your brain chemicals. The study only looked at women aged 18 to 25, so it is unclear if this applies to older women.

80

women studied

40

women with PMS

18-25

age range in years

## About the study

Original title Effect of premenstrual stress on autonomic function Authors Rode MV, Kamble P, Phatak MS et al. Journal Annals of neurosciences Year 2010 Study design Study Participants 80 What was tested None (observational study). Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.5214/ans.0972-7531.1017307](https://doi.org/10.5214/ans.0972-7531.1017307)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

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