---
title: How is stress connected to PMS? | Niyora
description: Stress is frequently linked to PMS in two different ways. In some women, stress is already high in their lives and PMS makes it worse. In others, stress is ac
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-stress-1988/
---

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- How is stress connected to PMS?

Study, 1988

# How is stress connected to PMS?

Stress is frequently linked to PMS in two different ways. In some women, stress is already high in their lives and PMS makes it worse. In others, stress is actually one of the PMS symptoms themselves.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with PMS

## What they did

Two patterns of how stress relates to PMS were described.

## What they found

The first pattern is secondary PMS, where women have underlying high stress levels and PMS symptoms worsen their daily life. The second is primary PMS, where stress is part of the PMS symptoms and not present at other times of the cycle.

## What it means for you

Understanding which pattern of PMS a woman has helps doctors choose the right management approach. Treatment differs between the two types.

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual stress Authors I. D. Vellacott, P.M.S. O’Brien Journal Stress Medicine Year 1988 Study design Study What was tested none Read the paper [doi.org/10.1002/smi.2460040107](https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2460040107)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[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.

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