Stress linked to severe premenstrual symptoms

Feeling stressed early in the menstrual cycle may worsen women's premenstrual symptoms, but learning how to reduce stress levels may help them.

To examine the relation between perceived stress in the previous month and severity of premenstrual symptom across two cycles among regularly menstruating, healthy women, researchers studied 259 healthy American women, aged 18 to 44 years, who were provided with an at-home fertility monitor to follow the phases of their monthly cycle. The participants also completed questionnaires about their stress levels for each of the four weeks of their cycle. None of the women were taking oral contraceptives or any other hormone medications.

It was found that women who felt stressed two weeks before the beginning of menstruation were two to four times more likely to report moderate to severe premenstrual symptoms than those who didn't feel stressed. Symptoms reported by the participants included mood swings, depression, fatigue, decreased concentration, breast swelling / tenderness, general aches, abdominal bloating, and feelings of anger and anxiety.

The study shows that higher perceived stress leads to an increased severity of premenstrual symptoms. It might be possible to lessen or prevent the severity of these symptoms with techniques that help women cope more effectively with stress, such as biofeedback, exercise, or relaxation techniques.