Oxytocin May Protect Mood During Sleep Disruption In Women

Oxytocin, often called "the emotion hormone," whitethorn play a protective domiciled successful temper disturbances triggered by slumber nonaccomplishment and hormonal shifts during cardinal reproductive transitions for illustration postpartum and menopause, according to a study being presented Saturday astatine ENDO 2025, nan Endocrine Society's yearly gathering successful San Francisco, Calif.

Researchers astatine Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School studied nan mixed effect of slumber interruption and estrogen suppression connected temper and oxytocin levels successful patient premenopausal women. Their findings propose that oxytocin whitethorn thief trim nan antagonistic temper effects brought connected by fragmented sleep, which is an often-overlooked consequence of reproductive transitions.

Women often acquisition disrupted slumber during nan postpartum and menopausal periods that are associated pinch crisp hormonal fluctuations. Yet these disturbances are often minimized aliases seen arsenic regular inconveniences. The study provides caller biologic grounds that specified slumber interruptions are linked to meaningful changes successful affectional health, and that oxytocin whitethorn service arsenic an important protective factor.

In nan study, 38 patient premenopausal women completed 2 5-night inpatient protocols: 1 during a earthy hormonal authorities and different aft estradiol suppression. After 2 nights of uninterrupted sleep, researchers fragmented participants' slumber for 3 nights to simulate patterns commonly knowledgeable during postpartum and menopause. Mood disturbance and oxytocin levels were assessed throughout.

Findings indicated that slumber interruption importantly accrued some temper disturbance and oxytocin levels, and that higher oxytocin levels earlier slumber disruption were linked to reduced temper disturbance nan pursuing day. Higher incidences of temper disturbance associated pinch slumber disruptions were besides linked to accrued oxytocin levels nan adjacent day.

"Millions of women struggle pinch temper symptoms during reproductive transitions, yet treatments often attraction narrowly connected antidepressants aliases hormone therapy," Gonsalvez said. "Understanding oxytocin's imaginable arsenic a earthy temper modulator could thief america amended support women's intelligence wellness during these times."

This investigation was supported by nan Brigham and Women's Hospital Connors Center WHISPR Award, nan Dupont-Warren HMS Research Fellowship, and nan National Institute connected Aging.