Menstruation Linked to Better Mental Agility and Fewer Mistakes in Women, New Study Discovers

Studies show that women might do better and respond faster when they have their periods. This means they could be really good at doing things during this time. Understanding this can help us give women more support in what they do. Let’s take a closer look at what the study found.

The study discovered that women perform better as athletes when they have their periods.

They react faster and think more clearly. The research, published in Neuropsychologia, showed that women are at their peak during menstruation. It focused on soccer players and found that women played their best during their period, but not as well right before it starts.

According to the study, women who have regular periods tend to do better during menstruation than in other phases of their cycle. They have quicker reaction times and make fewer mistakes. The study specifically looked at male and female soccer players.

The Cleveland Clinic explains that the time before menstruation is called the luteal phase. During this phase, women’s cognitive performance, especially in tasks like spatial timing anticipation, is not as good as during menstruation.

This challenges both women’s and society’s beliefs about women’s capabilities during menstruation.

Dr. Flaminia Ronca, the lead author of the study from UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science and ISEH, expressed surprise at the findings. She mentioned that the participants performed better when they were menstruating, challenging common assumptions about women’s abilities during this time.

During one of the tests, participants were asked to press the space bar whenever they saw a smiling face among a series of smiling or winking faces. This test aimed to measure skills such as attention, reaction time, and accuracy.

The researchers gathered data to support these observations.

According to a statement from University College London, when menstruating, participants pressed the space bar at the wrong time 25% less often. This means they made fewer mistakes during this phase. Additionally, Dr. Megan Lowery, one of the study’s authors from UCL Surgery and Interventional Science and ISEH, noted that there’s anecdotal evidence suggesting women might feel clumsy just before ovulation, which aligns with the findings of their study.

In this study, researchers from UCL and ISEH collected data from 241 participants who completed cognitive tests twice, 14 days apart. They also filled out mood and symptom questionnaires. The tests, designed to mimic mental processes in team sports, measured reaction time, accuracy, and spatial cognition. Despite feeling worse during menstruation, participants had faster reaction times.

Participants’ reaction times were slower during the luteal phase, which precedes menstruation.

However, they didn’t make more errors during this phase. Dr. Flaminia Ronca, the study’s lead author, hopes these findings will encourage positive discussions between coaches and athletes about performance and wellbeing.

The study highlights the importance of understanding how women’s cognition fluctuates during their menstrual cycle. Dr. Megan Lowery emphasized the need for women to adapt to these changes, while Professor Paul Burgess stressed the significance of further research in sports medicine regarding this topic.

So, after all, women’s mental agility appears to be heightened during menstruation.

The study was sparked by reports from soccer players about getting injured at specific times in their menstrual cycle. It was supported by research showing higher injury risk during the luteal phase among elite female footballers.

As the study highlights, women often feel worse during menstruation and perceive their cognitive performance to suffer. However, their actual performance, especially in tasks like spatial timing anticipation, was better.

Dr. Ronca emphasizes that how we feel doesn’t always reflect how we perform.