Non-randomised trial, 1999
Can sleep deprivation help PMDD symptoms?
Yes, sleep deprivation may help some women with PMDD, possibly by correcting circadian rhythm problems. Women with PMDD showed similar sleep changes across the cycle as healthy women.
What they did
Researchers studied sleep brain waves in 23 women with PMDD and 18 healthy women during the middle and late phases of the menstrual cycle. They then tested two types of sleep deprivation in separate cycles: early sleep deprivation (sleeping only 3am to 7am) and late sleep deprivation (sleeping only 9pm to 1am), each followed by a full recovery night.
What they found
During baseline sleep, REM latency was longer and REM sleep was reduced in the late cycle phase compared to the middle phase in both groups. Women with PMDD did not show depression-like sleep patterns. Sleep quality was better during recovery nights in women with PMDD compared to healthy women. In women who improved with sleep deprivation, their REM sleep measures changed.
What it means for you
Sleep deprivation might help PMDD symptoms through circadian rhythm changes, though we don't fully understand how. The study was not randomized and doesn't clearly show which type of sleep deprivation timing works better. More research is needed.
23
women with PMDD
18
healthy women
2
types of sleep deprivation tested
About the study
- Original title
- Sleep EEG studies during early and late partial sleep deprivation in premenstrual dysphoric disorder and normal control subjects
- Authors
- Parry BL, Mostofi N, LeVeau B et al.
- Journal
- Psychiatry research
- Year
- 1999
- Study design
- Non-randomised trial
- Participants
- 23
- What was tested
- Early sleep deprivation and late sleep deprivation in separate cycles
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/s0165-1781(98)00128-0
Topics
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