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Introduction
A woman's menstrual cycle is affected by a wide variety of factors, including hormones, lifestyle and environmental factors. Recently, the relationship between sleep patterns and female reproductive health has been studied. This article provides a research review on the relationship between lack of sleep and late menstrual periods, based on current research.
The effect of sleep on a woman's cycle
Lack of sleep affects a person's overall health, as well as the female reproductive system. Sufficient and quality sleep is essential for the proper functioning of the hormonal system, which includes reproductive hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can lead to hormonal imbalance, which can affect the menstrual cycle.
Hormonal mechanisms
Sleep affects the synthesis, secretion and metabolism of reproductive hormones, which are coordinated with the internal biological clock. Lack of sleep can disrupt the biological clock and lead to changes in the levels of FSH and LH hormones, which are essential for the menstrual cycle and ovulation. Studies carried out on mice have shown that damage to gene expression of the biological clock can lead to disturbances in the menstrual cycle and even damage to fertility
https://rbej.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12958-022-00889-3).
Effects of insomnia and sleep quality
Studies show that women with insomnia are more likely to suffer from premenstrual symptoms and dysmenorrhea (period pain). For example, a study conducted in Egypt found that young women with insomnia reported significantly more premenstrual symptoms and period pain than women without insomnia [[❞]](https://mecp.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s43045- 019-0011-x). In addition, it was found that menstrual pain can affect the quality of sleep and lead to less quality and less effective sleep
https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12905-023-02629-0).
Further studies
In a systematic review conducted at BMC Women's Health, a link was found between sleep disorders and various menstrual disorders, including PMS and dysmenorrhea. The review states that most studies agree on the relationship between the quality of sleep and premenstrual symptoms and period pain, but no conclusive support was found that the number of hours of sleep affects various period symptoms
https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles /10.1186/s12905-023-02629-0).
Conclusions
The relationship between lack of sleep and the delay of the female cycle is complex and requires further studies to clarify the exact mechanisms. However, there is significant evidence that lack of sleep and poor sleep quality can affect the menstrual cycle and worsen premenstrual symptoms and period pain.
sources
1. [BMC Women's Health](https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12905-021-01290-3)
2. [Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology](https://rbej.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12958-021-00736-7)
3. [Middle East Current Psychiatry](https://mecp.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s43045-021-00132-w)
