Oxytocin may reduce mood changes in women with disrupted sleep: Study

Women frequently experience disrupted sleep during the postpartum and menopausal periods that are associated with sharp hormonal fluctuations. Yet these disturbances are often minimized or seen as routine inconveniences. The study provides new biological evidence that such sleep interruptions are linked to meaningful changes in emotional health, and that oxytocin may serve as an important protective factor.

In the study, 38 healthy premenopausal women completed two 5-night inpatient protocols: one during a natural hormonal state and another after estradiol suppression. After two nights of uninterrupted sleep, researchers fragmented participants’ sleep for three nights to simulate patterns commonly experienced during postpartum and menopause. Mood disturbance and oxytocin levels were assessed throughout.

Findings indicated that sleep interruption significantly increased both mood disturbance and oxytocin levels, and that higher oxytocin levels before sleep disruption were linked to reduced mood disturbance the following day. Higher incidences of mood disturbance associated with sleep disruptions were also linked to increased oxytocin levels the next day.

“Millions of women struggle with mood symptoms during reproductive transitions, yet treatments often focus narrowly on antidepressants or hormone therapy,” Gonsalvez said. “Understanding oxytocin’s potential as a natural mood modulator could help us better support women’s mental health during these times.”