The menstrual cycle affects women’s emotional states, with estrogen and progesterone having predominant roles. However, it remains unclear whether the phases of the menstrual cycle also affect women’s motivational behaviors. In this study, the main aim was to investigate how the menstrual cycle influences approach–avoidance behavior under conditions of conscious versus unconscious processing of emotions. Briefly, after recruitment by advertisement and screening with a menstrual cycle survey questionnaire, 27 naturally cycling, healthy women participated in an improved “manikin task” and were presented both positive and negative emotional stimuli during early follicular, late follicular, and mid-luteal phases. Estrogen and progesterone levels were measured. Women in the late follicular phase exhibited the shortest response times for approaching positive stimuli, while women in the mid-luteal phase exhibited the shortest response times for avoiding negative stimuli. Estrogen and progesterone levels significantly correlated with the speed of the approach–avoidance responses observed for the women, indicating the important role that sex hormones have in mediating emotionally motivated behavior. Overall, these findings suggest that the menstrual cycle has strong and specific influences on women’s approach–avoidance behaviors that are in part mediated by estrogen and progesterone. By identifying characteristics of these behaviors in the late follicular and mid-luteal phases, greater insight can be provided to women regarding the physiological influences of the menstrual cycle on their personal growth and security.

Objectives: Women with Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) tend to exhibit an excessive attention bias toward negative stimuli during the luteal phase. This study intends to investigate the effect of regular yoga on attention bias of women with PMS during the luteal phase and explore the mechanisms underlying such changes. Methods: Sixty-four women with PMS were recruited, coded and randomly assigned to either a 12-week yoga group (n = 32) or a control group (n = 32). The dot-probe task was used to assess attention bias at baseline and 12 weeks later. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 27.0 software, with analytical methods including descriptive statistics, repeated-measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA), simple effect analysis, cluster-based permutation test and Pearson correlation analysis. The Holm–Bonferroni method was used to correct for multiple comparison errors. Results: RM-ANOVA revealed significant time × group interaction effects for attention orientation, attention disengagement, P1 component, and P3 component. Simple effect analysis indicated that, compared with the control group, the yoga group exhibited significant modulations in attention orientation (t = −7.33, p < 0.001), P1 (t = 8.94, p < 0.001), attention disengagement (t = 6.89, p < 0.001), and P3 (t = 4.42, p = 0.002) after 12 weeks of intervention. Cluster-based permutation tests demonstrated that the yoga group showed significant reductions in P1 and P3 amplitudes after 12 weeks. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that attention orientation was significantly negatively correlated with P1 amplitude, while attention disengagement was significantly positively correlated with P3 amplitude. Conclusion: Regular yoga can regulate the behavioral indicators and electroencephalographic (EEG) indicators related to attention bias and exerts a positive effect on modulating attention bias toward negative stimuli in women with PMS during the luteal phase.