Jun 12, 2024 12:05:00Research shows that menstruation improves cognitive function in female athletes, contrary to women's self-assessment that 'menstruation worsens performance'Duringmenstruation , the lining of the uterus is shed, causing bleeding, and some people experience various symptoms such as abdominal pain, anemia, nausea, and moodiness. The participants consisted of 96 male athletes, 105 female athletes with natural menstrual cycles, and 47 female athletes who used hormonal contraception. They completed cognitive tests and questionnaires two weeks apart. The cognitive tests assessed how the athletes' brains work during competition, including how quickly they think and react, how they process spatial information, and how they stay focused. However, when surveyed, female athletes were more likely to report feeling worse during their period and performing worse on cognitive tests, meaning that the objective performance of female athletes did not match their subjective perceptions.
