Common sleep issues before periods

Restless nights, fatigue upon waking, and a feeling of bloating are common experiences for many women during the week preceding their menstruation. A large analysis conducted by Withings, a specialist in connected health devices, reveals that 76 percent of women sleep less well before their periods. French women, who are among the best sleepers studied, experience a greater decrease in deep and paradoxical sleep.

Physiological changes linked to the menstrual cycle

Nocturnal heart rate increases, less restorative sleep, and fluctuating weight are physiological variations that can help understand certain symptoms of the menstrual cycle. However, the exact implications of these data and their limitations remain to be fully understood.

Sleep issues not always due to lifestyle

For some women, the week preceding menstruation is marked by more restless nights and persistent fatigue upon waking. These difficulties are not necessarily due to stress or lifestyle habits; the menstrual cycle could also play a role.

Study details and participant data

An analysis published on October 15, 2026, by Withings examined 469,000 menstrual cycles among approximately 69,000 women aged 18 to 50 years, in 11 Western countries, including more than 11,000 French women. The data, collected between September 2025 and September 2026, concern women not using hormonal contraception.

Key findings on sleep and heart rate

The findings are clear: 76 percent of participants experience a decrease in their sleep score during the week preceding their periods, an average of 3.4 points compared to the days following menstruation. At the same time, the nocturnal heart rate increases in nine out of ten women, on average by 2.8 beats per minute.

Consistent patterns across countries

"Among the 469,000 cycles analyzed, the same pattern repeats: in the days preceding menstruation, the nocturnal heart rate increases and sleep becomes lighter. Women whose heart rate increases the most are also those whose sleep quality decreases the most. These variations are modest, but remarkably consistent from one country to another. Knowing that they are normal and predictable can help women better understand a restless night..."