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| Shopping sprees linked to periods | Shopping sprees linked to periods |
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| Women may be able to blame impulse buys and extravagant shopping on their time of the month, research suggests. | |
| In the 10 days before their periods began women were more likely to go on a spending spree, a study found. | In the 10 days before their periods began women were more likely to go on a spending spree, a study found. |
| Psychologists believe shopping could be a way for premenstrual women to deal with the negative emotions created by their hormonal changes. | Psychologists believe shopping could be a way for premenstrual women to deal with the negative emotions created by their hormonal changes. |
| Professor Karen Pine will present her work to a British Psychological Society meeting in Brighton later this week. | Professor Karen Pine will present her work to a British Psychological Society meeting in Brighton later this week. |
| She asked 443 women aged 18 to 50 about their spending habits. | She asked 443 women aged 18 to 50 about their spending habits. |
| The spending behaviour tends to be a reaction to intense emotions Professor Pine | The spending behaviour tends to be a reaction to intense emotions Professor Pine |
| Almost two-thirds of the 153 women studied who were in the later stages of their menstrual cycle - known as the luteal phase - admitted they had bought something on an impulse and more than half said they had overspent by more than £25. | Almost two-thirds of the 153 women studied who were in the later stages of their menstrual cycle - known as the luteal phase - admitted they had bought something on an impulse and more than half said they had overspent by more than £25. |
| A handful of the women said they had overspent by more than £250. | A handful of the women said they had overspent by more than £250. |
| And many felt remorse later. | And many felt remorse later. |
| Professor Pine, of the University of Hertfordshire, said: "Spending was less controlled, more impulsive and more excessive for women in the luteal phase. | Professor Pine, of the University of Hertfordshire, said: "Spending was less controlled, more impulsive and more excessive for women in the luteal phase. |
| "The spending behaviour tends to be a reaction to intense emotions. They are feeling stressed or depressed and are more likely to go shopping to cheer themselves up and using it to regulate their emotions." | "The spending behaviour tends to be a reaction to intense emotions. They are feeling stressed or depressed and are more likely to go shopping to cheer themselves up and using it to regulate their emotions." |
| Hormonal | Hormonal |
| She said much of this could be explained by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle. And the findings were exaggerated in the women with severe PMT. | She said much of this could be explained by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle. And the findings were exaggerated in the women with severe PMT. |
| "We are getting surges and fluctuations in hormones which affect the part of the brain linked to emotions and inhibitory control. So the behaviour we found is not surprising." | "We are getting surges and fluctuations in hormones which affect the part of the brain linked to emotions and inhibitory control. So the behaviour we found is not surprising." |
| Another explanation might be that women are buying items to make themselves feel more attractive - coinciding with the time of the month when they are most fertile. | Another explanation might be that women are buying items to make themselves feel more attractive - coinciding with the time of the month when they are most fertile. |
| Most of the purchases made by the women were for adornment, including jewellery, make-up and high heels. | Most of the purchases made by the women were for adornment, including jewellery, make-up and high heels. |
| Professor Pine said: "Other researchers have found there is an ornamental effect around the time of ovulation." | Professor Pine said: "Other researchers have found there is an ornamental effect around the time of ovulation." |
| Researchers have found women tend to dress to impress during their fertile days. | Researchers have found women tend to dress to impress during their fertile days. |
| Professor Pine, author of the book Sheconomics, said if women were worried about their spending behaviour they might avoid going shopping in the week before their period was due. | Professor Pine, author of the book Sheconomics, said if women were worried about their spending behaviour they might avoid going shopping in the week before their period was due. |