--- title: Does sleep change during different phases of the menstrual cycle? description: Yes, women's sleep is disrupted during menstruation and the pre-menstrual phase of their cycle, though they often don't notice it happening. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/sleep-characteristics-and-menstrual-cycle-phase-based-differences-in-sleep-in-2026/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does sleep change during different phases of the menstrual cycle? Cohort study, 2026 # Does sleep change during different phases of the menstrual cycle? Yes, women's sleep is disrupted during menstruation and the pre-menstrual phase of their cycle, though they often don't notice it happening. Moderate study design 12 female team sport athletes aged 24.2 years on average ## What they did A 3-month study of 12 female team sport athletes. Participants wore a sleep-tracking ring and kept sleep diaries. They tracked their menstrual cycle using a smartphone app and ovulation tests to identify which cycle phase they were in. ## What they found Objective sleep data showed that women actually slept 55 minutes less than they thought. During menstruation, sleep efficiency decreased and the time to fall asleep increased. During the pre-menstrual phase, women had more wake events. Sleep quality fluctuated across the cycle. Cycle-related symptoms peaked during menstruation and the pre-menstrual phase, matching the timing of sleep disruptions. ## What it means for you Female athletes may benefit from tracking which cycle phases disrupt sleep and planning rest strategies. The study was very small (only 12 athletes) and involved competitive athletes, so results may not apply to all women. 12 female athletes tracked 55 minutes difference between perceived and actual sleep 3 months study duration ## About the study Original title Sleep Characteristics and Menstrual Cycle Phase-Based Differences in Sleep in Naturally Menstruating Elite Female Team Sport Athletes Authors McGeever A, Mallon N, Bruinvels G et al. Journal European journal of sport science Year 2026 Study design Cohort study What was tested None - observational monitoring of sleep and menstrual cycle Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70195](https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70195) ## Topics [Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Apps and digital interventions](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-digital-health/)[Athletes and sport](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-athletes/) 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, 2026 Does sleeping longer improve mood and fitness in elite athletes? Systematic review, 2022 Do athletes' feelings and performance change across the menstrual cycle? Study, 2021 How much does the menstrual cycle affect mood and body signs compared to daily, weekly, and seasonal changes? Survey study, 2026 How does sleep change across the menstrual cycle in women with psychiatric conditions and suicidal thinking? Cohort study, 2026 Does the menstrual cycle phase affect how much physical activity women do? Cohort study, 2026 What life and psychological factors are linked to PMS and PMDD? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗