A new study by the UCL Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH) suggests that women's cognitive abilities, including reaction time and attention, improve during menstruation, despite many women reporting feeling less capable at this time of the month.
Female athletes were found to react quicker and make fewer errors while on their period, challenging assumptions about their abilities during menstruation.
The study explored the relationship between the menstrual cycle, cognitive performance, and athletic injury risk.
Concerns from female football players and coaches about injuries prompted the research, which suggests more injuries occur during the luteal phase (between ovulation and menstruation) due to slower reaction times.
During the luteal phase, women showed slower reaction times and poorer timing anticipation compared to other phases of the menstrual cycle.
Future studies may measure participants' hormonal levels to further understand the effects of hormone changes during the menstrual cycle on cognitive functioning and performance.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: The Guardian, Sky News, New York Post, Yahoo News, The Telegraph, and Medical Xpress.