Menstruation is often associated with unpleasant symptoms such as fatigue, cramps and mood swings. However, a new study reveals an interesting surprise: Women may develop unexpected intellectual abilities during their periods.
Menstruation is well known for causing various physical discomforts, ranging from abdominal cramps to severe fatigue. These inconveniences can often disrupt women’s daily lives, affecting their overall well-being. Added to this are hormonal fluctuations which can also influence mood and energy levels. However, a study sheds light on unexpected aspects of menstruation on our intellectual abilities.
Researchers from University College London and the Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health analyzed the cognitive performance of 241 women. Participants completed a series of cognitive tests 14 days apart, allowing researchers to assess the effects of different phases of the menstrual cycle. The tests included tasks such as smiley face recognition and 3D spatial rotation exercises. But then, what did this study reveal?
The rest after this ad
Unexpected intellectual performance during menstruation
The results are surprising:Menstruating women showed faster reaction times and made fewer errors. Although they often felt worse, their cognitive performance was significantly better. The exact reasons for these improvements are not yet fully understood. According to Flaminia Ronca, PhD, lead author of the study, hormonal fluctuations, particularly progesterone levels, could play a key role.
She explains that progesterone, which peaks during the luteal phase and falls during menstruation, could influence the cerebral cortex, an essential region for memory, reflection and other functions like learning. This drop during menstruation could explain why women present faster reaction times at this moment. Furthermore, she emphasizes that “theprogesterone can disrupt your cerebral cortex“, which could reduce cognitive abilities during the luteal phase and improve them during menstruation.
The rest after this ad
What are the lessons of the study?
Although the study was inspired by sports medicine research, the researcher says the findings hold true for all women, whether they are athletes or not. “The timing of a movement is important in everyday life“, she says.
This study offers a new perspective on menstruation. It indicates that women can not only function normally during their periods, but also excel cognitively. The implications are vast, ranging from improved productivity at work to better management of daily tasks. “The main takeaway is that women can step up, even when they feel at their worst“, concludes Flaminia Ronca.
Behind the scenes of the news? The looks of the stars? A real playground for her! Always curious, Joanna loves following celebrity dramas, TV series and…
