--- title: Are exercise, stress, and mental state linked to how bad PMS symptoms are? description: Yes, this study found that regular exercise, mental state, and stress levels were all significantly related to how severe PMS symptoms were, though it cannot url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/investigation-of-premenstrual-syndrome-in-connection-with-physical-activity-2023/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Are exercise, stress, and mental state linked to how bad PMS symptoms are? Survey study, 2023 # Are exercise, stress, and mental state linked to how bad PMS symptoms are? Yes, this study found that regular exercise, mental state, and stress levels were all significantly related to how severe PMS symptoms were, though it cannot prove that one causes the other. Early or limited evidence 198 women aged 18 to 45 (average age 25.37) ## What they did Online cross-sectional survey of 198 women aged 18 to 45 (average age 25.37) run over 6 months. Participants filled out standard questionnaires measuring physical activity, perceived stress, mental state, and premenstrual symptoms. ## What they found Regular exercise was significantly linked to PMS symptom severity (p = 0.020), and mental state was also linked to PMS symptom severity (p = 0.012). Regular exercise was linked to better mental state (r = -0.157, p = 0.027). There was also a significant difference related to stress (p = 0.019). Overall, the severity of PMS symptoms was linked to how physically active women were, their mental state, and their stress levels. ## What it means for you Being more physically active and having better mental state and lower stress seem to go along with milder PMS symptoms, but since this is a one-time survey with no control group, it cannot show that exercise or stress reduction actually improves PMS. 198 Participants p=0.020 Exercise linked to PMS severity r=-0.157 Exercise vs mental state correlation ## About the study Original title Investigation of premenstrual syndrome in connection with physical activity, perceived stress level, and mental status-a cross-sectional study Authors Dózsa-Juhász O, Makai A, Prémusz V et al. Journal Frontiers in public health Year 2023 Study design Survey study Participants 198 What was tested None tested; questionnaires measured physical activity, stress, mental state, and PMS symptoms (observational survey) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1223787](https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1223787) Original abstract Introduction: The premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a critical factor in women's health, which, in addition to physical inactivity, can be influenced by the body mass index (BMI), stress, and mental state, among others. The study aimed to assess the severity of PMS symptoms among young women regarding physical inactivity, BMI, mental state, and perceived stress level. Methods: A total of 198 female participants between the ages of 18-45 took part in a 6-month cross-sectional online questionnaire study. The average age of the participants was 25.37 ± 4.80 years. To assess physical activity, stress, mental state, and premenstrual symptoms, we employed standard questionnaires, including the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), and the Premenstrual Assessment Form-Short Form (PAF-SF). The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 28.0 software, with a significance level set at p p = 0.020) between regular exercise and the severity of PMS symptoms, as well as between mental state and PMS symptoms ( p p = 0.012), as well as between regular exercise and the participants' mental state (r = -0.157; p = 0.027). Additionally, we identified a significant difference ( p p = 0.019). Discussion: The research findings indicate that the severity of PMS symptoms is influenced by regular physical activity, mental state, and stress. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/) 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 Survey study, 2021 Does physical activity or age at first period affect how much PMS a teenage girl experiences? Cohort study, 2019 How do exercise, diet and weight affect menstrual problems? Survey study, 2009 What factors are linked to more severe premenstrual syndrome in adolescents? Survey study, 2026 Which lifestyle habits are linked to PMS in teenage girls? Survey study, 2026 How do pre-menstrual symptoms affect the work and social life of young women? Survey study, 2025 How common is PMS in high school girls, and which non-drug methods help reduce anxiety and stress? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗