A study of premenstrual syndrome in mature Japanese women and their life-styles

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in mature Japanese women and their life-styles (including diet, exercise, coping with stress, and stress-related behavior). The subjects were 141 women aged from 25 years to 45 years. They recorded daily basal body temperature with physical, psychological and social symptoms for one menstrual cycle using PMS Memory (developed by Matsumoto et al., 1997), while at the same time monitoring their life-styles on the life-style questionnaire constructed by the authors. The results showed that subjects who ate well-balanced, healthy meals and bathed regularly usually had fewer premenstrual symptoms. Furthermore, subjects who experienced stressful life events had more perimenstrual symptoms (the major symptom of PEMS being abdominal pain). Satisfaction in their everyday lives and work-related stress also significantly correlated with symptoms. One of the primary factors associated with PMS appeared to be perception of life stress ; learning effective ways to cope with stress can also help to relieve PMS symptoms. These data have implications for women's health education with regard to self-care of PMS.