There's a strange phenomenon in girls' dormitories: if one girl gets her period, the others usually do too. It's as if some mysterious force causes the menstrual cycles of girls living together or in close proximity to gradually synchronize.
Is it that menstruation is contagious, or is the body "unwilling to give in" and insisting that if you come, I will too?
Pattern or coincidence? Opinions differ.
Scholars have indeed studied this phenomenon. A study by McClintock published in Nature found that women with close relationships tend to have synchronized or similar menstrual cycles. The study was conducted among 135 college students, divided into three groups based on the closeness of their relationship. After six months, the study found that the menstrual cycles of the roommates and close friends groups were significantly similar, while the control group showed no significant change.
Subsequently, many scientists conducted related research experiments, but the results were inconsistent—some showed a "near convergence," while others showed no significant effect. Therefore, to date, there is still no scientifically sound and convincing explanation for this phenomenon.
The Big Speculation About Menstrual Cycle "Synchronization"
Many scholars have proposed hypotheses, such as a situation similar to social animals where they "collectively conceive" to protect their offspring, or tracing back to ancient times when men who went out hunting would only return home once in a long while, and in order to reproduce, the women's menstrual cycles gradually synchronized to facilitate conception.
Of course, these are all a bit far removed from our lives and sound rather mystical. There are other conjectures, which are easier to understand.
1. Similar living habits
Girls who are close to each other or live together tend to have similar routines and eating habits, especially those who often stay in the same environment, such as home or office, where there is a lot of overlap.
Lifestyle habits and environment can affect the menstrual cycle, so girls in the same environment may gradually synchronize their menstrual cycles.
2. The Influence of Pheromones
Girls have probably all heard of "pheromones," often mentioned in movies and TV shows. This substance might be the reason for synchronized menstrual cycles. Some studies even suggest that women living together tend to have periods centered around the pheromone level that is strongest in one particular group.
Does that all sound reasonable? Another theory is that when you know that the girls around you are having their periods, your own hormones will subconsciously change, and your menstrual cycle will gradually become closer to theirs.
However, all of this could just be a coincidence.
After all, the idea that menstruation can be "contagious" sounds like something out of a fantasy!
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