--- title: How much higher do anxiety and depression get before your period? description: Anxiety and depression are noticeably higher before your period than in the middle of your cycle, but they are still much lower than in people with depression url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-magnitude-of-premenstrual-anxiety-and-depression-1976/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How much higher do anxiety and depression get before your period? Study, 1976 # How much higher do anxiety and depression get before your period? Anxiety and depression are noticeably higher before your period than in the middle of your cycle, but they are still much lower than in people with depression or anxiety disorders. Moderate study design 50 women aged 30-45 who had given birth ## What they did 50 women aged 30-45 who had given birth were measured for anxiety and depression at two points: before their period and in the middle of their cycle using standard measurement tools. ## What they found Before the period, anxiety and depression scores were clearly higher than at midcycle. These scores were much lower than scores for people with depression or anxiety disorders. General baseline anxiety levels were low and did not match the premenstrual increases. ## What it means for you If you have PMS, your anxiety and depression may rise noticeably before your period, but they typically stay below the levels seen in depression or anxiety disorders. This group included only women aged 30-45 who had given birth, so results may differ for other groups. 50 women 30-45 age range ## About the study Original title The magnitude of premenstrual anxiety and depression Authors Golub S Journal Psychosomatic medicine Year 1976 Study design Study Participants 50 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1097/00006842-197601000-00002](https://doi.org/10.1097/00006842-197601000-00002) ## Topics [Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/) 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 Randomised trial, 2026 Does Kundalini Reiki help reduce PMS symptoms and improve quality of life? Systematic review, 2026 Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms? Systematic review, 2026 Do mindfulness and relaxation techniques help with PMS symptoms? Cohort study, 2025 Do women with PMS or PMDD report lower quality of life than women without these conditions? 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? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗