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Premenstrual syndrome is a cyclically recurring condition affecting up to nearly half of women of reproductive age, with significant effects on daily functioning, quality of life, and workplace productivity. Despite its prevalence, it remains undertreated, and many pharmacological options carry unwanted side effects. This systematic review, conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines, examined whether contemplative practices — specifically mindfulness-based programmes, yoga, and qigong — could offer psychobiological benefits for women with premenstrual syndrome.
Researchers searched three major databases covering publications from 2015 to 2026, ultimately identifying eighteen studies comprising fifteen independent trials with over one thousand participants. Across these trials, contemplative practices were associated with improvements in mood, stress, and anxiety, reductions in physical complaints, and better sleep quality. Movement-based practices such as yoga and qigong appeared to produce broader physiological benefits, including reductions in blood pressure, preliminary evidence of hormonal modulation, and improvements in heart and lung function. Mindfulness-based interventions without movement more selectively addressed psychological and emotional outcomes. The authors propose that these practices may work through two interconnected hormonal axes, simultaneously reducing stress-related suppression of reproductive function and supporting ovarian hormonal activity via the autonomic nervous system and anti-inflammatory pathways. Methodological quality across trials was moderate, and most studies carried some risk of bias concerns. The authors call for future research using confirmed luteal phase designs and objective biological markers.
Conclusion: This systematic review provides encouraging evidence that contemplative practices, including qigong, can meaningfully improve both psychological and physical symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, though higher-quality trials are needed to confirm mechanisms and optimal dosing.
Source: Walsen S, Chaves C, Baquedano C. Frontiers in psychology (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 42638660) · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1912206