---
title: How do eating, sleep, and sexual activity change across the menstrual cycle?
description: Women ate more and slept worse during their luteal and premenstrual phases. Women who were sexually active had lower stress hormones than those who abstained.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-menstrual-cycle-and-sexual-behavior-relationship-to-eating-exercise-sleep-2008/
---

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- How do eating, sleep, and sexual activity change across the menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 2008

# How do eating, sleep, and sexual activity change across the menstrual cycle?

Women ate more and slept worse during their luteal and premenstrual phases. Women who were sexually active had lower stress hormones than those who abstained.

 Moderate study design

89 women tracked across 180 menstrual cycles, 45 with male partners, 21 with female partners, 33 abstaining from sex

## What they did

Cross-sectional study tracking eating, exercise, sleep, and health across 180 menstrual cycles in 89 women from 2005 to 2007. Cycles were divided into 5 phases based on hormone surges. Women completed daily questionnaires and provided saliva samples.

## What they found

Women ate more (p<.008) and slept worse (p=.02) during luteal and premenstrual phases. They were less likely to experience food cravings and did not satisfy cravings when ovulatory (p<.001). Sexually active women had lower cortisol and IgA levels than abstinent women (p=.02). Lesbian participants skipped breakfast more and exercised less than heterosexual women.

## What it means for you

The menstrual cycle affects eating and sleep in predictable ways. This was observational, so we cannot say whether these changes cause problems or what causes differences between groups.

89

women followed

180

menstrual cycles tracked

5

cycle phases

## About the study

Original title The menstrual cycle and sexual behavior: relationship to eating, exercise, sleep, and health patterns Authors Brown SG, Morrison LA, Calibuso MJ et al. Journal Women & health Year 2008 Study design Survey study Participants 45 What was tested None, observational tracking Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/03630240802575179](https://doi.org/10.1080/03630240802575179)

## Topics

[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)

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