Pre-menstrual syndrome, can have symptoms that affect sleep negatively. PMS occurs between seven and 14 days before periods begin, and for people who experience it, symptoms can include everything from headaches to body pain and breast tenderness. “Anyone who has experienced bloating, cramping, headaches, or mood changes knows that they don’t equal a good night’s rest,” says Stone.
However, the second aspect of the luteal phase that can damage sleep quality isn’t about symptoms. It concerns the hormones of the menstrual cycle itself. Over the course of a cycle, hormone levels in the body rise and fall — and during ovulation, progesterone levels peak, as the body prepares for possible pregnancy. If an egg isn’t fertilized, progesterone levels start to fall, bringing on menstruation. Sleep quality can suffer as a result. One major issue is that progesterone can have an impact on your body temperature. “When your progesterone levels drop, your body temperature can rise,” Stone says. “This may prevent you from feeling sleepy, or cause you to wake up with night sweats.”suggests avoiding caffeine, excess sugar, salt and alcohol in the daytime, and getting a lot of activity outdoors to tire you out.
Other things that might help, she says, include “exposure to sunshine during waking hours, discontinuing screen time a couple hours before bed, and maintaining a temperature of 60-67 degrees in sleeping spaces.” All these techniques can improve sleep quality overall,