P&G and the National Sleep Foundation are partnering to help women understand the biological differences that impact the quality of their sleep while menstruating. As a result of the partnership P&G’s Always brand has been named the Official Overnight Pad of the foundation. Always pads are designed to help women sleep leak- and worry-free, while the National Sleep Foundation provides healthy sleep tips so women can get their best sleep all month long. According to a poll by the National Sleep Foundation, 67% of women who menstruate toss and turn for two or three days during each month.

“Always found that many women are wearing the same pad during the day and night, but their protection needs are different. This can cause women to have leaks or worry and then not sleep as well,” says Sarah Innes, P&G North America femCare marketing director. “In our partnership with the National Sleep Foundation, we share a common goal to help women sleep comfortably. This includes making sure a woman has the right protection from Always and tips and advice from the National Sleep Foundation.”

A woman’s quality of sleep is impacted by fluctuating levels of hormones that she experiences throughout the month and over her lifetime. According to research by the National Sleep Foundation and others, the three days prior to menstruation and the first four days during are associated with the worst quality of sleep. In addition, menstruating women spend the longest amount of time in bed on weeknights—7 hours, 32 minutes on average—with more than two thirds of these women experiencing symptoms of insomnia.

“Achieving the appropriate amount of sleep is vital, but the quality of sleep is just as important. Biological conditions unique to women, like the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause, affect how well a woman sleeps,” says Fiona Baker, program director of the Human Sleep Research Program at SRI International and a member of the National Sleep Foundation’s women and sleep expert panel. “Establishing a nighttime routine, especially during her period, is important to sleeping uninterrupted.”

For that time of the month, the Always Maxi Overnight Extra Heavy pad features a larger back to catch leaks quickly when lying down.