Survey study, 1976
Does sleep affect luteinizing hormone levels?
In this small study, luteinizing hormone levels decreased during sleep. When sleep timing was reversed to daytime, the hormone still decreased during sleep in the same pattern.
What they did
Six women were studied during the early follicular phase with blood collected every 20 minutes for 24 hours while sleep was monitored. During a later cycle, they were studied again with their sleep completely reversed (sleeping during day, awake at night). One additional woman was studied on a disrupted schedule with one hour sleep and two hours awake, repeated for ten days.
What they found
In both the normal and reversed sleep studies, luteinizing hormone decreased by approximately 13 percent in the four hours after sleep started, showing the same pattern both ways. The woman on the disrupted schedule showed approximately a 52 percent decrease in luteinizing hormone during sleep, particularly during deep sleep.
What it means for you
Luteinizing hormone appears connected to sleep itself, not to the time of day. When sleep timing changed, the hormone still followed the sleep pattern, suggesting a direct link. Main limits: very small sample (6-7 women), older 1976 study, and only one cycle phase examined.
6
Women in baseline and reversal study
13%
Decrease in hormone after sleep onset
52%
Decrease during disrupted sleep
About the study
- Original title
- The relationship of luteinizing hormone secretion to sleep in women during the early follicular phase: effects of sleep reversal and a prolonged three-hour sleep-wake schedule
- Authors
- Kapen S, Boyar R, Hellman L et al.
- Journal
- The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
- Year
- 1976
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1210/jcem-42-6-1031
Topics
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