Menstural Cycle Effects on Sleep and Mood: REM Sleep is a Mood Buffer for Young Women During Menses
In this presentation at SLEEP 2026, the annual meeting of the Sleep Research Society and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, I present findings from my research examining how menstrual cycle phase shapes the relationship between sleep physiology and next-day mood in young women. Using repeated in-laboratory polysomnography across four menstrual cycle phases, our findings show that the relationship between REM sleep and mood is not uniform across the cycle. In particular, greater REM sleep was associated with more favorable changes in mood during menses, suggesting that REM sleep may serve as an important emotional buffer during this phase. This work highlights the importance of considering naturally occurring physiological states when investigating how sleep supports emotional well-being and contributes to a more individualized understanding of sleep and women’s brain health.
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Sleep and Hormonal Changes Shape Women’s Mood Across the Menstrual Cycle - (Sunday Punch Interview)
In this interview with Sunday Punch, I discuss my research on how sleep physiology interacts with hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle to influence mood, cognition, and emotional well-being in women. The feature highlights how historically, women’s biological rhythms were often excluded from neuroscience research because they were considered “too complex,” and why integrating menstrual cycle dynamics into sleep science is essential for advancing brain health research. I also reflect on my scientific journey from Nigeria to the United States, the importance of mentorship for underrepresented students in neuroscience, and my long-term goal of helping make the menstrual cycle a standard consideration in how we study brain function and design medical care.
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From Anatomy to Algorithms: A Journey Into the Sleeping Brain (The Nation Interview)
This feature traces my transition from early training in human anatomy to computational neuroscience research focused on sleep, hormones, and emotional regulation. It highlights how my work now integrates brain physiology, hormonal rhythms, and advanced data analysis methods to better understand women’s cognitive and mental health across the menstrual cycle. The interview also explores my commitment to closing gender gaps in neuroscience research, mentoring emerging scientists, and building global research pathways that support African and international students pursuing careers in brain science. Together, these efforts reflect my broader goal of advancing inclusive neuroscience that represents the biology and lived experiences of women worldwide.
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