--- title: Does progressive muscle relaxation reduce PMS symptoms? | Niyora description: Yes. Thirty minutes of daily progressive muscle relaxation for 4 weeks significantly reduced all physical, psychological, and behavioral PMS symptoms compared url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effect-of-progressive-muscle-relaxation-technique-on-signs-and-symptoms-of-2023/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does progressive muscle relaxation reduce PMS symptoms? Randomised trial, 2023 # Does progressive muscle relaxation reduce PMS symptoms? Yes. Thirty minutes of daily progressive muscle relaxation for 4 weeks significantly reduced all physical, psychological, and behavioral PMS symptoms compared to no treatment. Moderate study design 80 female nursing students with PMS (mean age 21-22 years) ## What they did Eighty female nursing students with PMS participated (40 in the relaxation group, 40 in a control group). The relaxation group performed progressive muscle relaxation for 30 minutes daily for 4 weeks. PMS symptoms were measured before and after the 4-week period using the premenstrual syndrome scale. ## What they found After the intervention, the relaxation group showed a statistically significant decrease in all physical, psychological, and behavioral symptoms compared to the control group (P<0.05). The total PMS symptom score decreased in the relaxation group (P=0.001) and increased in the control group (P=0.034). ## What it means for you Progressive muscle relaxation appears to reduce PMS symptoms across all categories. The study only included nursing students from one university and lasted 4 weeks, so we do not know if benefits persist longer or apply to all women with PMS. 80 female nursing students 30 minutes daily relaxation duration 4 weeks of treatment ## About the study Original title Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique on Signs and Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome Among Female Nursing Students Authors Hanan Moustafa Ashour Elkhatib, Niven Rizk Mohammed, Nemat Ismail Abdel Aziz Ismail et al. Journal Journal of Holistic Nursing and Midwifery Year 2023 Study design Randomised trial Participants 80 What was tested Progressive muscle relaxation for 30 minutes daily for 4 weeks vs no treatment Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.32598/jhnm.33.4.2430](https://doi.org/10.32598/jhnm.33.4.2430) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/) 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, 2026 Does Kundalini Reiki help reduce PMS symptoms and improve quality of life? Randomised trial, 2026 Does calcium and vitamin D supplementation reduce PMS symptoms? Randomised trial, 2026 Does aerobic or resistance exercise reduce anxiety in women with PMS? Randomised trial, 2026 Does a warm footbath help PMS symptoms and sleep quality? Randomised trial, 2025 Which is more effective for PMS - Vitagnus, soy, or both together? Systematic review, 2025 How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗