--- title: Does anxiety change during different phases of the menstrual cycle? description: Yes, significantly. Most women reported anxiety before menstruation, much fewer reported it during and after menstruation. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-cycle-relation-with-anxiety-and-other-psychological-symptoms-in-women-2021/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does anxiety change during different phases of the menstrual cycle? Survey study, 2021 # Does anxiety change during different phases of the menstrual cycle? Yes, significantly. Most women reported anxiety before menstruation, much fewer reported it during and after menstruation. Early or limited evidence Women in different regions of Saudi Arabia (age range not specified) ## What they did Cross-sectional community study in different regions of Saudi Arabia from September 1 to November 30, 2020. Researchers asked women about anxiety during different phases of their menstrual cycle. ## What they found 56.4% of women suffered from anxiety before or during menstruation. Of these, 70.6% had anxiety before menstruation, 27.8% during, and 16% after. 47.3% felt depressed before menstruation. 14% had panic attacks during menstruation. 38.4% reported sleep disturbance during menstruation. ## What it means for you Many women's anxiety is linked to their menstrual cycle, especially before menstruation. However, the abstract does not say how many women were studied total, and results are only from Saudi Arabia, so findings may not apply to other countries. This was one point in time, not tracking individuals through cycles. 56.4% reported anxiety before or during menstruation 70.6% reported anxiety before menstruation 47.3% reported depression before menstruation ## About the study Original title MENSTRUAL CYCLE RELATION WITH ANXIETY AND OTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN Authors Shazia Iqbal Journal Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) Year 2021 Study design Survey study What was tested None (observational) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4543208](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4543208) Original abstract Background: The menstrual cycle in women is characterized by high variability in cycle length with variable associated physiological and psychological changes along different phases. The premenstrual period was associated with a rise in negative psychological symptoms like anxiety, depression and fatigue. Mood and behavioral changes such as irritability, stress, mood fluctuations, exhaustion, and food cravings are all signs of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that occur within a few days of menstruation during the luteal process. Objective: The main objective of this study is to highlight the role of menstrual cycle phase in anxiety among Saudi women. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in different regions of Saudi Arabia from the period of 1 September to 30 November 2020. Data was compiled and analyzed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS, version 16) and results were analyzed with frequencies and Chi-squared test as appropriate. P value was considered significant if <0.05. Results: 56.4% of women suffer from anxiety before or during menstruation. 70.6% of women reported anxiety before menstruation, 27.8% during menstruation and only 16% after menstruation. 42.1% reported anxiety every month, 46.6% reported prevention of menses due to anxiety and 23.7% reported that anxiety affects duration of menses. 47.3% feel depressed before menstruation, 14% have panic attacks during menses and 38.4% reported sleeping disturbance during menstruation. Conclusion: Anxiety and stress adversely affects the menstrual cycle. There was a significant correlation between anxiety and duration of the menstrual cycle, severity of bleeding and menstruation prevention Health professionals should facilitate good self-care to increase the quality of life of women of reproductive age. Key Words: menstrual cycle and anxiety, anxiety effect on menstruation, menstruation irregularity and its association with anxiety Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/) 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, 2025 How common is PMS in Chinese teenage girls, and what factors are linked to it? Randomised trial, 2024 Does curcumin reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in women with PMS and dysmenorrhea? Survey study, 2022 What factors are associated with irregular menstrual cycles and how do irregular cycles affect other symptoms? Survey study, 2022 Do stress and rumination increase with PMS severity? Review, 1999 Is premenstrual dysphoric disorder a distinct clinical disorder? 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 ↗