Caffeine, alcohol and your cycle

You do not have to give up your morning coffee or a drink with friends. But caffeine and alcohol can nudge your sleep and mood, which matters most in the days when PMS is already making things wobbly. Here is what the research really says.

Caffeine

ACOG advises avoiding caffeine for PMS. But the best study we have, following more than 1,200 women with a PMS diagnosis over many years, found that caffeine did not make PMS more likely. The NHS PMS page does not list caffeine either. So cutting out caffeine is not a proven PMS fix.

Caffeine does matter for sleep, though. The NHS says to avoid tea and coffee at least 6 hours before bed. It also lists caffeine in coffee and tea among things that can add to bloating, and IBS flare-ups can be linked to it too. If you feel jittery or wired before your period, try keeping caffeine to the morning.

Alcohol

A 2018 review that pooled 19 studies found people who drink alcohol had a moderately higher chance of PMS, and the link was stronger for heavy drinking. That does not prove alcohol causes PMS. Some people may drink to cope with PMS instead. The NHS PMS page does say not to drink too much alcohol, and the NHS period pain page says cutting down on alcohol may help with period pain.

Alcohol can also make low mood and anxiety worse, and it disrupts sleep even if it makes you drowsy at first. The NHS says regular drinking at high-risk levels can make mental health worse.

• Have several drink-free days each week.
• Alternate alcoholic drinks with water or a soft drink, and drink more slowly, with food.
• A 175ml glass of 12% wine is about 2 units, and a pint of strong lager is about 3.
• If you could be pregnant or are trying to conceive, the NHS advises not drinking at all.