Case-control study, 2020
Does fatigue change across the menstrual cycle, especially in women with anxiety?
Mental fatigue increases during the high-hormone phase in healthy women, rising to levels that women with anxiety disorder experience. Physical fatigue does not change, and hormone levels alone do not explain fatigue.
What they did
Case-control study comparing 18 women with generalized anxiety disorder and 20 healthy women. Researchers measured physical and mental fatigue during the low-hormone (follicular) and high-hormone (luteal) phases of one menstrual cycle, while tracking sleep disruption.
What they found
Women with anxiety reported greater physical and mental fatigue overall than healthy women. Physical fatigue did not change across cycle phases in either group. Mental fatigue in healthy women increased from the follicular to luteal phase, reaching levels similar to women with anxiety. Estradiol and progesterone increased as expected, but hormones did not significantly predict fatigue.
What it means for you
The menstrual cycle affects mental (but not physical) fatigue in healthy women, creating a vulnerable period when emotional energy drops. This may explain why women with anxiety see their symptoms worsen around their period. A limitation is that only one cycle was tracked per person, and hormones alone do not explain fatigue.
18
Women with generalized anxiety disorder
20
Healthy women
1
Menstrual cycles tracked per person
About the study
- Original title
- Physical and mental fatigue across the menstrual cycle in women with and without generalised anxiety disorder
- Authors
- Li SH, Lloyd AR, Graham BM
- Journal
- Hormones and behavior
- Year
- 2020
- Study design
- Case-control study
- Participants
- 20
- What was tested
- Comparison of fatigue during cycle phases
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104667
Topics
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