---
title: What happens to activity and alertness before your period? | Niyora
description: A review of studies found that women show increased activity and alertness during the premenstrual phase, but it's unclear what changes happen in the brain.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/levels-of-arousal-in-the-premenstrual-phase-1978/
---

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- What happens to activity and alertness before your period?

Study, 1978

# What happens to activity and alertness before your period?

A review of studies found that women show increased activity and alertness during the premenstrual phase, but it's unclear what changes happen in the brain.

 Early or limited evidence

Studies of women across the menstrual cycle

## What they did

Reviewed studies of physical and psychological changes throughout the menstrual cycle, looking at three types of arousal: behavioral, body-based, and brain-based.

## What they found

The premenstrual phase shows increased behavioral arousal and body arousal. What happens with brain arousal is unclear.

## What it means for you

This suggests premenstrual changes involve both behavior and body activity. Researchers still don't understand brain changes. The main limitation is this reviewed other studies that may have used different methods.

## About the study

Original title Levels of arousal in the premenstrual phase Authors Asso D Journal The British journal of social and clinical psychology Year 1978 Study design Study What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1978.tb00896.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1978.tb00896.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)

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.

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