--- title: Does blood pressure change during the menstrual cycle? | Niyora description: Yes, blood pressure does change during the menstrual cycle. Systolic blood pressure is lower in the first half of the cycle, and diastolic blood pressure and url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effects-of-daily-activities-on-ambulatory-blood-pressure-during-menstrual-cycle-2003/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does blood pressure change during the menstrual cycle? Survey study, 2003 # Does blood pressure change during the menstrual cycle? Yes, blood pressure does change during the menstrual cycle. Systolic blood pressure is lower in the first half of the cycle, and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate are lower during menstruation and the first half of the cycle. Early or limited evidence 12 women aged 28 to 50 with normal blood pressure and normal menstrual cycles. ## What they did Researchers measured blood pressure and heart rate every 30 to 60 minutes over 24 hours on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 of the menstrual cycle in 12 women aged 28 to 50. Women also reported their posture, physical effort, and mood at each measurement. ## What they found Systolic blood pressure was lower on day 8. Diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were lower on days 1 and 8. Posture and tenseness affected blood pressure, but physical effort only affected heart rate. Menstrual cycle phase improved prediction of systolic blood pressure for 5 of the 12 women studied. ## What it means for you The menstrual cycle does affect blood pressure, particularly in the first half of the cycle. Posture and mood can also affect blood pressure. The main limitation is that this was a very small study of only 12 women, measured on only 4 days across the cycle. day 8 when systolic blood pressure was lowest 5 out of 12 women where menstrual phase improved blood pressure prediction 30-60 min measurement interval over 24 hours ## About the study Original title Effects of daily activities on ambulatory blood pressure during menstrual cycle in normotensive women Authors Tsai PS, Yucha CB, Sheffield D et al. Journal Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback Year 2003 Study design Survey study Participants 12 What was tested None - observational study measuring blood pressure across the menstrual cycle. Read the paper [doi.org/10.1023/a:1022364832488](https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1022364832488) ## Topics [Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/) 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 Cohort study, 2026 Does sleeping longer improve mood and fitness in elite athletes? Randomised trial, 2025 Does taking an antidepressant only during the second half of your cycle reduce anger and aggression in PMDD? Cohort study, 2025 How common is PMS in Chinese teenage girls, and what factors are linked to it? Randomised trial, 2021 Does ulipristal acetate (a progesterone blocker) treat PMDD? Randomised trial, 2017 Does the combined oral contraceptive pill affect mood? Randomised trial, 2005 Does stopping ovulation help irritable bowel syndrome that gets worse during the menstrual cycle? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗