The influence of primary dysmenorrhea on chronotypes, social jetlag, and night eating habits: a cross-sectional study of anxiety and depression

Abstract

Background: To determine the impact of mild, moderate, and severe primary dysmenorrhea (PD) on chronotype, social jetlag, and eating disorders, as well as mood changes such as depression and anxiety. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 128 participants who presented with painful menstruation and were diagnosed with PD. Participants were selected on a voluntary basis from among medical students between the ages of 18–25 who met the study inclusion criteria as a result of the preliminary evaluation. A total of 36 patients were excluded from the study, including 15 patients diagnosed with secondary dysmenorrhea and 21 patients who did not show the typical clinical findings of PD. Dysmenorrhea intensity was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain intensity. Ninety-two participants with typical clinical findings of PD were divided into mild (n = 30), moderate (n = 30), and severe PD (n = 32) groups according to their VAS scores, and a questionnaire was administered to them. The “Morning-Evening Test”, “Social Jetlag Test”, “Night Eating Questionnaire”, “Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)”, and “Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)” were applied to the participants. Results: Out of a total of 128 participants, 92 (72%) were diagnosed with PD. The VAS pain score in the severe PD group was significantly higher than that in the mild and moderate PD groups (p < 0.001 for each). In the severe PD group, the number of individuals with BAI values ​​above the threshold value (≥ 16) was higher than that in the mild and moderate PD groups (p < 0.05 for each). Similarly, BDI scores in the severe PD group were significantly higher than those in the mild PD group (p < 0.01). The rate of night eating syndrome was significantly higher in the severe than in the moderate and mild PD groups (p < 0.05 for each). There was no significant difference between the chronotypes according to dysmenorrhea severity (p = 0.461). The rate of social jet lag was ≥ 2 h in the severe PD group, significantly higher than in the mild group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In addition to emotional complaints such as depression and anxiety, PD increases the incidence of night eating habits and social jet lag. No significant association was found between PD and chronotypes.