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ABSTRACT
Patterns of eating, exercise, sleep, and health were investigated across 180 menstrual cycles of 89 women who engaged in sex with a male (n = 45; cycles = 85), a female (n = 21; cycles = 37), or abstained from sex (n = 33; cycles = 58) from January 2005 to December 2007 (10 contributed to 2 groups). Cycles were divided into 5 phases based on their luteinizing hormone surges. Daily questionnaires and saliva for IgA and cortisol analyses were obtained. Women indicated that they ate more (p < .008) and did not sleep as well (p = .02) during their luteal and premenstrual phases. Participants were less likely to experience food cravings and did not satisfy their cravings when they were ovulatory (p < .001). Additionally, a greater proportion of lesbians skipped breakfast (p = .01) and exercised less than heterosexuals (p = .05). Sexually active women had lower cortisol and IgA levels than abstinent women (p = .02). Our study discovered, and confirmed, systematic differences in eating, sleeping, and health patterns across women's menstrual cycles.
Notes
1Variable had 3 levels (1 = less than usual, 2 = about the same as usual, 3 = more than usual) and nuts/tofu has 3 levels (0 = none consumed, 1 = nuts or tofu consumed, 2 = both nuts and tofu consumed).
2Variable had two levels (0 = absence, 1 = presence).
3# of cravings and spices (range 0 to 5); health symptoms (range 0 to 4).
∗With more conservative tests this effect would not reach statistical significance.
1Variable had 3 levels (1 = less than usual, 2 = about the same as usual, 3 = more than usual) and nuts/tofu has 3 levels (0 = none consumed, 1 = nuts or tofu consumed, 2 = both nuts and tofu consumed).
2Variable had two levels (0 = absence, 1 = presence).
3# of cravings and spices (range 0 to 5); health symptoms (range 0 to 4).
∗With more conservative tests this effect would not reach statistical significance.
∗With more conservative tests this effect would not reach statistical significance.