--- title: Does living in greener areas reduce PMS symptoms? | Niyora description: Yes, women living in greener areas had lower rates of several PMS symptoms including anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and breast tenderness. The effect wa url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/lifelong-exposure-to-residential-greenspace-and-the-premenstrual-syndrome-a-2022/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does living in greener areas reduce PMS symptoms? Cohort study, 2022 # Does living in greener areas reduce PMS symptoms? Yes, women living in greener areas had lower rates of several PMS symptoms including anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and breast tenderness. The effect was modest but consistent. Moderate study design 1069 Scandinavian women aged 18-49 ## What they did Researchers studied 1069 Scandinavian women aged 18-49 between 2013 and 2015. They measured the greenspace around each woman's home using satellite imagery and tracked which PMS symptoms she experienced. ## What they found Higher greenspace exposure was associated with lower odds of anxiety or tension (OR 0.82), depression or hopelessness (0.84), difficulty sleeping (0.82), and breast tenderness and abdominal bloating (0.84). Overall PMS symptom count was also lower (RR 0.94). These associations were not explained by BMI, physical activity, or air pollution. ## What it means for you Living in greener areas may help reduce PMS symptoms, though the reason why is not yet understood. The study was large and population-based, but further research is needed to confirm the findings. 0.82 Anxiety/tension odds ratio (0.70-0.95) 0.84 Depression/hopelessness odds ratio (0.73-0.98) 0.94 PMS symptom count risk ratio (0.91-0.99) ## About the study Original title Lifelong exposure to residential greenspace and the premenstrual syndrome: A population-based study of Northern European women Authors Triebner K, Markevych I, Bertelsen RJ et al. Journal Environment international Year 2022 Study design Cohort study Participants 1,069 What was tested Residential greenspace exposure Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106975](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106975) Original abstract Background: The premenstrual syndrome (PMS) causes clinically relevant psychological and physical symptoms in up to 20% of women of reproductive age. To date, no studies have investigated the relationship between PMS and residential surrounding greenspace, although a green living environment has been reported to have beneficial associations with overall and reproductive health. Objective: To investigate whether lifelong exposure to residential surrounding greenspace is associated with PMS and whether such an association is mediated by BMI, air pollution or physical activity. Methods: This study used data collected in 2013-2015 from 1069 Scandinavian women aged 18-49 years, participating in RHINESSA, a European multi-centre and population-based cohort. Satellite-derived Normalised Difference Vegetation Index was used as a proxy of greenspace. Presence of eight common PMS symptoms and their sum (PMS symptom count) were used as outcomes. The associations were assessed by adjusted multilevel logistic and negative binomial regressions. Subsequently we carried out mediation analyses for physical activity, BMI and air pollution exposure. Results: Higher exposure to residential surrounding greenspace was associated with "Anxiety or tension" (Odds Ratio 0.82, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.70 - 0.95), "Depression or hopelessness" (0.84, 0.73 - 0.98), "Difficulty with sleeping" (0.82, 0.68 - 1.00) and "Breast tenderness and abdominal bloating" (0.84, 0.71 - 0.99) before or around the start of the menstrual period. There was also an association with a lower PMS symptom count (Risk Ratio: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.91 - 0.99). These associations were robust to sensitivity analyses and were not mediated by BMI, physical activity or air pollution. Conclusions: Living in greener areas may be beneficial against PMS symptoms. Further studies are needed to confirm these novel findings and to explore the underlying biological mechanisms. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/) 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 Systematic review, 2026 Do mindfulness and relaxation techniques help with PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2026 Does exercise help college women with period problems and mental health? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Randomised trial, 2018 Does swimming reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms? Survey study, 2025 Can a plant-based supplement reduce PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2024 How do hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect gut health and mood? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗