Psychosomatic state evaluation device, policy proposal device, and psychosomatic state evaluation method

Abstract

This psychosomatic state evaluation device comprises: an information acquisition unit that acquires subject information including first information related to a phase of a menstrual cycle of a subject, and at least one of second information related to regularity of the menstrual cycle of the subject and third information related to premenstrual syndrome of the subject; and an evaluation unit that evaluates, on the basis of the subject information, the psychosomatic state of the subject in a prescribed phase of the menstrual cycle.

Description

Mind-Body State Evaluation Device, Strategy Proposal Device, and Mind-Body State Evaluation Method

[0001] The present invention relates to a mind-body state evaluation device, a strategy proposal device, and a mind-body state evaluation method.

[0002] Conventionally, it has been known that menstruation affects a woman's skin condition in some way. Therefore, in the beauty field, the relationship between skin condition and menstruation has been examined from various viewpoints. Furthermore, it is also known to utilize the relationship obtained through such examinations for estimating skin condition and the like.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a skin condition unit including a calculation circuit configured to determine the manifestation of changes in skin condition in response to one or more inputs indicating the progress of the physiological cycle, and a personalized product unit including a calculation circuit configured to generate personalized skin care recommendations in response to one or more inputs indicating the manifestation of changes in the skin condition.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2024-506245

[0005] According to the technique described in Patent Document 1, for example, it is possible to evaluate the skin condition corresponding to a predetermined phase (follicular phase, luteal phase, etc.) of the menstrual cycle. Understanding the skin condition according to the phase of the menstrual cycle is important in the art for selecting cosmetic measures including cosmetics and treatments, but in reality, the tendency of skin condition varies considerably among individuals, and it is often difficult to accurately evaluate the skin condition. Therefore, there is a need for a technique that can evaluate the skin condition of a subject with higher accuracy.

[0006] In view of the above points, one aspect of the present invention aims to provide a technique capable of evaluating a mind-body state including the skin condition of a subject with higher accuracy corresponding to the phase of the menstrual cycle.

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a mental and physical state evaluation device comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires subject information including first information relating to the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle, second information relating to the smoothness of the subject's menstrual cycle, and third information relating to the subject's premenstrual syndrome, and an evaluation unit that evaluates the subject's mental and physical state at a predetermined phase of the subject's menstrual cycle based on the subject information.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a technology can be provided that can evaluate the physical and mental state of a subject, including the condition of their skin, with greater accuracy, corresponding to the phases of the menstrual cycle.

[0009] This figure shows the overall configuration according to one embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows the functional configuration of the mental and physical state evaluation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a flowchart of the method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a more detailed flowchart of the mental and physical state evaluation. This is a flowchart of the method according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a flowchart of the method according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows the hardware configuration of the mental and physical state evaluation device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Traditionally, in the field of beauty, it has been known that menstruation affects women's skin condition in some way, and that a subject's physical and mental state, including skin condition, tends to change according to the phase of the menstrual cycle. However, this tendency varies from person to person, and there has been a need for a technology that can more accurately evaluate a subject's physical and mental state according to the phase of the menstrual cycle. As a result of diligent research, the inventors have found that the subject's own characteristics related to menstruation influence the evaluation of their physical and mental state according to the phase of the menstrual cycle. More specifically, "the subject's own characteristics related to menstruation" may be one or more of the subject's characteristics regarding the regularity of their menstruation and their characteristics regarding premenstrual syndrome, and in this specification, a classification of subjects that takes such characteristics into account is also called a "menstrual type." Based on these findings, the inventors have discovered a technique for acquiring subject information that includes at least one of the following: first information regarding the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle, second information regarding the smoothness of the subject's menstrual cycle, and third information regarding the subject's premenstrual syndrome, and for evaluating the subject's physical and mental state at a predetermined phase of the menstrual cycle based on this subject information.

[0011] <Overall Configuration> Figure 1 illustrates the overall configuration of one embodiment of the present invention. In this example, system 1 includes a mental and physical state evaluation device 10, a terminal 20, and a measuring device 30.

[0012] The mental and physical condition evaluation device 10 may be a personal computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.

[0013] The terminal 20 may be a personal computer, tablet, smartphone, etc. The subject Sb may send and receive data with the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10 via the terminal 20, as shown in Figure 1. Alternatively, the terminal 20 may be omitted, in which case the subject Sb can directly input data into the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10 or directly check the data output by the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10 without going through the terminal 20.

[0014] The measuring device 30 may be, for example, a device that performs measurements to acquire information regarding the physical and mental state of a subject Sb or other information when such measurements are required. Specific examples include Corneometer (Courage+Khazaka), SKICON-200EX (Yayoi Co., Ltd.), MoistureMeter-D (Delfin), etc., for measuring the moisture content of the stratum corneum of the skin; Tewameter (Courage+Khazaka), Vapometer (Delfin), etc., for measuring transepidermal water loss; CM700d (Konica Minolta), Skin-Colorimeter Flex CL440 (Courage+Khazaka), Handy Skin Sensor (Shiseido Co., Ltd.), etc., for measuring skin tone; Cutometer (Courage+Khazaka), ElastiMeter (Delfin), etc., for measuring elasticity; Frictiometer FR700 (Courage+Khazaka), etc., for measuring skin roughness; and Handy Skin Sensor (Shiseido), Visioscan (Courage+Khazaka), etc., for measuring skin texture.

[0015] Furthermore, the measuring device 30 may be another terminal equipped with a function to measure the physical and mental state of the subject. If the measurement of the physical and mental state is, for example, a measurement of the subject's walking or sleep, then it may be a smartphone equipped with an application that enables such measurement, or a wearable smart device such as a ring-type or wristwatch-type equipped with the function for the above measurement.

[0016] If information about the subject Sb cannot be obtained by measurement, system 1 may be configured without the measuring device 30. Furthermore, the measuring device 30 may be connected to the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10 via the terminal 20, or it may be directly connected to the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10.

[0017] Furthermore, data may be transmitted and received between the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10 and the terminal 20, between the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10 and the measurement device 30, or between the terminal 20 and the measurement device 30 via any network. In addition, one or more of the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10, terminal 20, and measurement device 30 may be installed, for example, in the storefront of a cosmetics or beauty equipment store, a sports gym, a running station, etc., and operated by the examiner (beauty consultant, etc.) or by the subject Sb themselves.

[0018] <Functional Configuration> Figure 2 shows the functional configuration of a mental and physical state evaluation device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The mental and physical state evaluation device 10 may include an information acquisition unit 11, a storage unit 12, a menstrual type determination unit 13, an evaluation unit 14, a suggestion unit 15, and an output unit 16. Furthermore, the mental and physical state evaluation device 10 can function as the information acquisition unit 11, storage unit 12, menstrual type determination unit 13, evaluation unit 14, suggestion unit 15, and output unit 16 by executing a program.

[0019] The information acquisition unit 11 acquires information about the subject Sb. The information acquisition unit 11 can also acquire information other than subject information, such as information about the temporal or spatial environment (date and time, place, etc.) in which the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10 is used.

[0020] The subject information may include information regarding the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle (first information), information regarding the regularity of the subject's menstrual cycle (second information), and information regarding the subject's premenstrual syndrome (third information). When the subject's physical and mental state is evaluated according to this embodiment, the information used for evaluation is at least one of the information regarding the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle (first information), information regarding the regularity of the subject's menstrual cycle (second information), and information regarding the subject's premenstrual syndrome (third information).

[0021] Information regarding the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle (first information) refers to information about which phase of the menstrual cycle the subject is in at a given point in time, for example, at the time when the mental and physical state is evaluated by the mental and physical state evaluation device 10. The "phase of the menstrual cycle" may be, for example, a phase divided before and after ovulation, that is, the pre-ovulatory phase (follicular phase, also known as the low-temperature phase) from the start of menstruation until before ovulation, and the post-ovulatory phase (luteal phase, also known as the high-temperature phase) from after ovulation until before the start of menstruation. Alternatively, the "phase of the menstrual cycle" may be divided as follows: the menstrual phase from the start of menstruation until the end of menstruation, the follicular phase from the end of menstruation until before the start of ovulation, the ovulatory phase during ovulation, and the luteal phase from after ovulation until before the start of menstruation.

[0022] Information regarding the phase of a subject's menstrual cycle (first information) may be obtained through interviews with the subject or through tests or measurements. When information regarding the phase of the menstrual cycle is obtained through interviews, the subject is asked to answer the number of days since the start of the most recent menstruation at the time the information is obtained (the day the information is obtained), and the menstrual cycle length. Based on publicly known knowledge about menstruation (knowledge described in Wallace et al., Hum Reprod 25(4), 949-956, 2010, etc.), the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle, i.e., which menstrual phase the subject is in at the time the information is obtained, can be determined. Alternatively, when information regarding the phase of the menstrual cycle is obtained through tests or measurements, the menstrual cycle phase can be determined based on blood hormone measurements or the results of using ovulation prediction test kits.

[0023] Information regarding the regularity of the subject's menstrual cycle (second information) may more specifically be information regarding at least one of the subject's menstrual cycle length and the variation in the length of the menstrual cycle. "Menstrual cycle length" refers to the number of days from the start of menstruation to the day before the start of the next menstruation. "Variation in the length of the menstrual cycle" may refer to whether the length of the menstrual cycle is stable, or for example, whether a certain percentage or more of past menstruations (specifically, more than half of past menstruations) are of an appropriate cycle length. An appropriate cycle length can be, for example, 25 to 38 days. Information regarding the regularity of the menstrual cycle can be obtained through a medical interview. The obtained information regarding the regularity of the menstrual cycle is used to determine the subject's menstrual type in the menstrual type determination unit 13, which will be described later.

[0024] Information regarding the subject's premenstrual syndrome (PMS) (third-party information) is information regarding the presence or absence of PMS, or the severity of PMS. Premenstrual syndrome (hereinafter also simply referred to as PMS) is a physical and mental discomfort that appears before menstruation, and specifically includes emotional instability, irritability, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, decreased concentration, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite or overeating, dizziness, fatigue, abdominal pain, headache, lower back pain, swelling, abdominal bloating, breast tenderness, etc. Information regarding PMS shall be obtained through interviews. The information regarding the severity of PMS obtained in this way will also be used to determine the subject's menstrual type in the menstrual type determination unit 13 described later.

[0025] Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 11 can acquire information on the mental and physical state for the construction of a database used in the evaluation of the mental and physical state of the present invention. In this specification, "mental and physical state" may be at least one of a physical state and a mental state.

[0026] "Physical condition" may refer to the condition of a part of the body, i.e., the condition of a part of the body's tissues, or the condition of the body as a whole. "Physical condition" may include the condition of the body's surface, such as the skin, scalp, nails, and hair, or the condition of the body's internal tissues, such as blood and other bodily fluids, muscles, fat, bones, and internal organs. Furthermore, "physical condition" may include measurements of the entire body, such as height, weight, body mass index (BMI), skeletal muscle percentage, and body fat percentage. In this specification, among the information of "body surface condition" described above, the condition of the skin (skin condition) may include both what is perceived by the subject and what is recognized by testing or measurement. The former, the skin condition perceived by the subject, is also called "subjective skin condition," and the latter, the skin condition recognized by testing or measurement, is also called "objective skin condition."

[0027] "Subjective skin condition" includes blemishes (including acne), oiliness or stickiness, makeup easily smudged, dryness, moisture, roughness, skin irritation, flushing, redness, itchiness, pain, sensitivity, uneven skin tone (including blemishes and freckles), swelling or puffiness, sagging, dullness, facial expression, skin firmness, skin brightness, and firmness. Such information on subjective skin condition can be obtained through a medical interview. In this specification, a medical interview can include both questionnaires answered independently by the subject and questionnaires answered by an interviewer during a consultation.

[0028] "Objective skin condition" includes factors such as texture, roughness, melanin content, oxygen saturation, yellowness, redness, paleness, transepidermal water loss, stratum corneum water content, stratum corneum natural moisturizing factor (NMF) content, elasticity (including firmness, viscoelasticity, and resilience), and glossiness. The objective skin condition may be the skin condition of areas normally exposed in daily life (e.g., cheeks), or the skin condition of areas not normally exposed or rarely exposed in daily life (e.g., the inner arm). Furthermore, information regarding the objective skin condition may be obtained using the measuring device 30 described above, or it may be information obtained by testing or measuring with external measuring equipment to the system 1.

[0029] Regarding the physical condition, it is preferable to obtain information on the state of body tissues other than the skin, specifically the state of blood and other body fluids. The state of blood and other body fluids is preferably expressed as the concentration of components in the body fluids (also referred to as "body fluid component concentration"). The body fluid component concentration may be the concentration of components in the blood, or it may be the concentration of components in body fluids other than blood, such as saliva or urine. Specific examples of "body fluid component concentrations" include hormones or hormone derivatives such as estradiol, estrogen (including estradiol), progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, serotonin, cortisol, melatonin, oxytocin, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol (MHPG); minerals such as iron, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, copper, iodine, chromium, and selenium; lipids such as triglycerides, cholesterol (including HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol), and β-lipoproteins; proteins such as transferrin, albumin, globulin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and C-reactive protein (CRP); and blood cell concentrations such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Body fluid component concentrations may also include concentrations of blood glucose, enzymes, etc. This information on the concentration of components in bodily fluids can be obtained by analyzing bodily fluids collected from subjects using a designated instrument.

[0030] Information on the concentration of components in body fluids can be obtained by collecting body fluids using the same procedures as general tests (blood tests, urine tests, etc.) and analyzing the components in those fluids. In addition, components in urine can be detected and analyzed using sensors installed in toilets.

[0031] "Physical condition" may include information that is perceived or measured as a whole body, such as age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), skeletal muscle percentage, and body fat percentage. Such physical conditions perceived or measured as a whole body may be physical measurements obtained through interviews or measured by measuring instruments. Furthermore, "physical condition" may include menstrual symptoms, i.e., symptoms at one or more of the premenstrual, menstrual, and postmenstrual periods. In this case, information regarding physical condition can be obtained as an MDQ (Menstrual Distress Questionnaire) score, etc.

[0032] "Physical condition" may include physical conditions related to lifestyle. Here, "lifestyle" may be one or more selected from the group consisting of exercise, smoking, drinking, and consumption of non-tobacco and non-alcoholic beverages. Specifically, lifestyle includes the amount of sleep, the quality of sleep, and sleep type (night owl or day owl). Information on "lifestyle" can also be obtained through interviews.

[0033] "Mental state" includes calmness, concentration, motivation, intensity of positive or negative emotions, mood elevation, stress levels, happiness, openness, susceptibility, other-orientedness, imagination, empathy, and anxiety. Mental state may be subjective as perceived by the subject themselves, or it may be objective as determined by a test. Preferably, "mental state" is subjective, and information regarding mental state may be obtained through interviews.

[0034] Furthermore, if the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 11 is the result obtained from a medical interview with the subject, for example, the subject may directly input their answers to the medical interview items displayed on their terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) 20 and transmit them to the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10 via a network or the like. In addition, the subject's information may be obtained by a beauty consultant conducting a medical interview with the subject. For example, the beauty consultant can conduct a medical interview with the subject in the store and directly input the results of the interview into the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10 or into the terminal 20. Alternatively, the beauty consultant may conduct an online medical interview with the subject using the terminal 20, and the subject may input their answers to the interview into the terminal 20. Alternatively, the subject's information may be obtained by the subject or the beauty consultant inputting pre-acquired data, such as the results of a health checkup, into the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10, or by automatically acquiring the subject's ID from another device via a network or the like from outside the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10.

[0035] Furthermore, if the measuring device 30 is a wearable smart device as described above, the information acquisition unit 11 can also continuously and automatically acquire information about the subject from the measuring device 30. When building a database in the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires information not only from the person being evaluated but also from a large number of other people.

[0036] The memory unit 12 can store data acquired from outside the mental and physical state evaluation device 10, and can also store data generated within the mental and physical state evaluation device 10. For example, the memory unit 12 can store information acquired by the information acquisition unit 11, the menstrual type determined by the menstrual type determination unit 13, the evaluation results from the evaluation unit 14, and a pre-constructed database.

[0037] The menstrual type determination unit 13 can determine the subject's menstrual type based on at least one of the information obtained by the information acquisition unit 11 regarding the regularity of the subject's menstrual cycle (second information) and the information regarding the subject's premenstrual syndrome (third information).

[0038] For example, the menstrual type determination unit 13 can determine whether a subject is a "regular menstrual type" or a "irregular menstrual type" based on information regarding the regularity of the menstrual cycle (second information) (described later as the first embodiment). Note that the menstrual types related to the regularity of the menstrual cycle are not limited to two, and the subject may be determined to one of three or more types depending on the regularity of their menstruation. Furthermore, the menstrual type determination unit 13 can determine whether a subject is a "premenstrual syndrome (PMS) type" or a "premenstrual syndrome (PMS) type" based on information regarding the subject's premenstrual syndrome (premenstrual syndrome) (third information) (described later as the second embodiment). The menstrual types related to premenstrual syndrome are not limited to two, and the subject may be determined to one of three or more types depending on the severity of their premenstrual syndrome.

[0039] Furthermore, the menstrual type determination unit 13 may determine the subject's type to one of four types, where each of the "regular menstrual type" and "irregular menstrual type" is further divided into "with PMS type" and "without PMS type" (as described later as a third embodiment). The number of menstrual types, considering both the regularity of the menstrual cycle (second information) and the premenstrual syndrome (third information), is not limited to four, but may be any number.

[0040] The evaluation unit 14 evaluates the subject's physical and mental state at predetermined phases of the menstrual cycle. The definition of a menstrual cycle phase is as described above, but the predetermined phase may be the menstrual cycle phase at the time the subject's information is acquired, or it may be a menstrual cycle phase in the past or future than the time the subject's information is acquired. In other words, in this embodiment, it is possible to evaluate the subject's current physical and mental state at the time the subject's information is acquired, as well as to evaluate the subject's past physical and mental state and to evaluate (predict) the subject's future physical and mental state.

[0041] In the evaluation unit 14, based on the target person information, the physical and mental state of the target person is evaluated by using, for example, a database acquired in advance and stored in the memory unit 12. More specifically, the evaluation unit 14 can compare with a data group of the same menstrual type as the menstrual type of the target person determined by the menstrual type determination unit 13 among the databases acquired in advance.

[0042] By referring to a predetermined data group in the database, for example, (i) how the physical and mental state changes according to the change of the phase of the menstrual cycle of the target person, (ii) when the target person is in a predetermined phase, how premenstrual syndrome affects the physical and mental state of the target person, (iii) when the target person is in a predetermined phase, how irregular menstruation affects the physical and mental state of the target person, etc. can be evaluated.

[0043] In addition, for the construction of the above database, information including at least one of the first information regarding the phase of the menstrual cycle, the second information regarding the regularity of the menstrual cycle, and the third information regarding premenstrual syndrome is acquired from a large number of people in the same manner as the method by which the psychosomatic state evaluation device 10 evaluates the psychosomatic state of the target person. Further, information regarding the physical and mental state of a large number of people is also acquired. And a data group of the physical and mental state can be acquired for each menstrual type and / or for each phase of the menstrual cycle. More specifically, the data group of the physical and mental state with a significant difference between phases can be acquired for each menstrual type, or the data group of the physical and mental state with a significant difference between menstrual types can be acquired for each phase of the menstrual cycle. In addition, in the construction of the database, if the physical and mental state of the target person is evaluated, the database can be constructed each time, including the data acquired at the time of the evaluation.

[0044] The proposal unit 15 makes a proposal to the target person based on the physical and mental state of the target person evaluated by the evaluation unit 14. The proposal may be a proposal of a measure for improving the evaluated physical and mental state.

[0045] If the physical and mental condition to be improved is skin condition, the proposed measures may include cosmetics to improve skin (basic cosmetics such as lotions, emulsions, creams, and serums, and makeup cosmetics such as foundations, eyeshadows, and lipsticks), skin treatments (manual massage, physical and / or electrical treatments of the skin using beauty devices, etc.), supplements, and improvements to lifestyle habits (sleep habits and stress levels). If the physical and mental condition to be improved is a condition other than skin, the proposed measures may include physical activities that can affect the body and / or mind, such as yoga, Pilates, strength training, and meditation. Alternatively, the measures may include suggestions for improving lifestyle habits, such as increasing sleep time, measures to promote sleep onset, and / or suggestions for supplements or recommendations via apps, or measures that include makeup cosmetics (foundations, eyeshadows, lipsticks, etc.) and makeup methods that can affect the physical and mental condition.

[0046] Furthermore, if the mental and physical state evaluation device 10 includes a suggestion unit 15, the mental and physical state evaluation device 10 can function as a strategy suggestion device. However, in embodiments where strategy suggestions are not made, the suggestion unit 15 may be omitted from the mental and physical state evaluation device 10.

[0047] The output unit 16 can output the evaluation results obtained by the evaluation unit 14, and the proposed measures in the proposal unit 15. The output unit 16 can also output the information obtained by the information acquisition unit 11 for reference by the subject or tester (e.g., a beauty consultant). The output data may be in the format of visually recognizable data such as images, or auditory recognizable data such as audio. For example, the output unit 16 can display the visual data as text, charts, etc., on a display device which is an output device in the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10 or terminal 20. Alternatively, it may be transmitted to a printing device connected to the mental and physical condition evaluation device 10, printed on paper by the printing device, and provided to the subject or beauty consultant as a booklet or leaflet.

[0048] The system 1 or the psychosomatic state evaluation device 10 according to this embodiment can be used at the storefront of a sales store for cosmetics, beauty appliances, etc., or in a place where a large number of people gather such as a sports gym. By updating the database based on the information obtained from a large number of people, a more accurate evaluation of the psychosomatic state, and thus a more appropriate proposal, can be made.

[0049] =First Embodiment= The first embodiment of the above-described psychosomatic state evaluation device 10 will be described. FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of the psychosomatic state evaluation method according to the first embodiment.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 3, the method according to this embodiment acquires information (first information) regarding the phase of the menstrual cycle of the subject (S111), acquires information (second information) regarding the regularity of the menstrual cycle of the subject (S112), and evaluates the psychosomatic state of the subject in a predetermined phase of the menstrual cycle based on the first information and the second information (S120). This is the psychosomatic state evaluation method.

[0051] The step of acquiring information (first information) regarding the phase of the menstrual cycle of the subject (S111) and the step of acquiring information (second information) regarding the regularity of the menstrual cycle of the subject (S112) may be in either order or may be performed simultaneously. Also, steps S111 and S112 are collectively referred to as the information acquisition step S110.

[0052] After acquiring the information, the psychosomatic state of the subject is evaluated (S120) based on the information (first information) regarding the phase of the menstrual cycle of the subject and the information (second information) regarding the regularity of the menstrual cycle of the subject. In the psychosomatic state evaluation step S120, more specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the menstrual type of the subject is determined (S21), and the psychosomatic state of the subject is evaluated (S22) using the data group corresponding to the determined menstrual type. The data group corresponding to a predetermined menstrual type is as described above in the description of the evaluation unit 14. Also, the menstrual type determined in this embodiment can be either the "regular menstrual type" or the "irregular menstrual type", but a more detailed classification may be made regarding the regularity of the menstrual cycle.

[0053] In the mental and physical condition assessment step S120, for example, a data set of the same menstrual type as the subject (e.g., regular or irregular menstruation) is extracted from a pre-built database and referenced. The database is constructed as described above. Then, the menstrual cycle phase of that data set is synchronized with the subject's menstrual cycle phase at the time the subject's information was acquired (at the time of the mental and physical condition assessment). This makes it possible to evaluate, for example, (i) how each mental and physical condition changes in accordance with changes in the subject's menstrual cycle phase. Therefore, it is possible to present the subject with items of mental and physical condition that require attention in their current menstrual cycle phase, and to present to the subject which items of mental and physical condition will change (for the worse or for the better) as their menstrual cycle phase progresses over time.

[0054] =Second Embodiment= Next, a second embodiment of the mental and physical state evaluation device 10 will be described. Figure 5 shows a flowchart of the mental and physical state evaluation method according to the second embodiment.

[0055] The method according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, is a method for evaluating the physical and mental state of a subject, which involves acquiring information about the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle (first information) (S211), acquiring information about the subject's premenstrual syndrome (third information) (S213), and evaluating the subject's physical and mental state at a predetermined phase of the menstrual cycle based on the first and third information (S220). The steps of acquiring information about the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle (first information) (S211) and acquiring information about the subject's premenstrual syndrome (third information) (S213) may be performed in any order, or simultaneously. Steps S211 and S213 are also collectively referred to as the information acquisition step S210.

[0056] Once the information is obtained, the subject's physical and mental state is evaluated based on information regarding the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle (first information) and information regarding the subject's premenstrual syndrome (third information) (S220). The physical and mental state evaluation step S220 is the same as the physical and mental state evaluation step S120 in the first embodiment, and more specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the subject's menstrual type is determined (S21), and the subject's physical and mental state is evaluated using the data set corresponding to the determined menstrual type (S22). The data set corresponding to a predetermined menstrual type is as described above in the explanation of the evaluation unit 14. In addition, the menstrual type determined in this embodiment can be either the "with PMS type" or the "without PMS type," but further subdivisions may be made according to the degree of PMS, etc.

[0057] In the mental and physical condition assessment step S220, for example, a data set of the same menstrual type as the subject's predetermined menstrual type (e.g., with or without PMS) is extracted and referenced from a pre-built database. The database is constructed as described above. Then, the menstrual cycle phase of that data set is synchronized with the subject's menstrual cycle phase at the time the subject's information was acquired (at the time of the mental and physical condition assessment). This makes it possible to evaluate, for example, (i) how each mental and physical condition changes in accordance with changes in the subject's menstrual cycle phase. Therefore, it is possible to present the subject with items of mental and physical condition that require attention in their current menstrual cycle phase, and to present to the subject which items of their mental and physical condition will change (for the worse or for the better) as their menstrual cycle phase progresses over time.

[0058] =Third Embodiment= Next, a second embodiment of the mental and physical state evaluation device 10 will be described. Figure 6 shows a flowchart of the mental and physical state evaluation method according to the third embodiment.

[0059] The method according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, is a method for evaluating the physical and mental state of a subject, which involves acquiring information about the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle (first information) (S311), acquiring information about the smoothness of the subject's menstrual cycle (second information) (S312), acquiring information about the subject's premenstrual syndrome (third information) (S313), and evaluating the subject's physical and mental state at a predetermined phase of the menstrual cycle based on the first, second, and third information (S320). The steps of acquiring information about the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle (first information) (S311), acquiring information about the smoothness of the subject's menstrual cycle (second information) (S313), and acquiring information about the subject's premenstrual syndrome (third information) (S313) can be performed in any order, in any order, or simultaneously. Steps S311, S312, and S313 are also collectively referred to as the information acquisition step S310.

[0060] Once the information is obtained, the subject's physical and mental state is evaluated based on the first, second, and third information (S320). The physical and mental state evaluation step S320 is the same as the physical and mental state evaluation step S120 in the first embodiment, and more specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the subject's menstrual type is determined (S21), and the subject's physical and mental state is evaluated using the data set corresponding to the determined menstrual type (S22). The data set corresponding to a predetermined menstrual type is as described above in the explanation of the evaluation unit 14. In addition, the menstrual type determined in this embodiment may be any of the four types, for example, "irregular menstruation and PMS type," "irregular menstruation and no PMS type," "regular menstruation and PMS type," and "regular menstruation and no PMS type," but further classification may be performed from a more detailed perspective on the regularity of the menstrual cycle and premenstrual syndrome.

[0061] In the mental and physical condition assessment step S320, for example, a data set of the same menstrual type as the subject's predetermined menstrual type (for example, one of the four types mentioned above) is extracted and referenced from a pre-built database. The database is constructed as described above. Then, the menstrual cycle phases of that data set are synchronized with the subject's menstrual cycle phase at the time the subject's information was acquired (at the time of the mental and physical condition assessment). This makes it possible to evaluate, for example, (i) how each mental and physical condition changes in accordance with changes in the subject's menstrual cycle phase. Therefore, it is possible to present the subject with items of mental and physical condition that require attention in their current menstrual cycle phase, and to present to the subject how each item of their mental and physical condition changes (for worse or for better) as their menstrual cycle phase progresses over time.

[0062] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, for example, (iii) when the subject is in a predetermined menstrual cycle phase, it is also possible to evaluate which physical and mental states of the subject are affected by irregular menstruation. In this case, for example, attention is paid to the subject's menstrual type (whether PMS is present or absent), and data sets of the same menstrual type are extracted and referenced. Since this data set includes data on the significant difference between the regular menstrual type and the irregular menstrual type for each predetermined phase, if the subject's menstrual type is the irregular menstrual type, it is possible to evaluate which physical and mental states that should be noted in the subject's current menstrual cycle phase are affected by irregular menstruation.

[0063] Furthermore, for example, (ii) when a subject is in a predetermined menstrual cycle phase, it is possible to evaluate which physical and mental states of the subject are affected by premenstrual syndrome (PMS). In this case, for example, attention is paid to the subject's menstrual type (whether it is a regular menstrual cycle or an irregular menstrual cycle), and data sets of the same menstrual type are extracted and referenced. Since this data set includes data on the significant difference between the PMS-present type and the PMS-absent type for each predetermined phase, if the subject's menstrual type is the PMS-present type, it is possible to evaluate which physical and mental state items that should be noted in the subject's current menstrual cycle phase are affected by premenstrual syndrome (PMS), etc.

[0064] Thus, in all three embodiments, the subject's menstrual type is determined (S21), and then their physical and mental state is evaluated (S22), allowing for a more accurate evaluation of the subject's physical and mental state.

[0065] As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, in any of the above embodiments, the steps of proposing measures to improve the evaluated mental and physical state (S130, S230, S240) may be further included after the mental and physical state evaluation steps (S120, S220, S320).

[0066] Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention may be a method for proposing measures, which acquires subject information including at least one of first information regarding the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle, second information regarding the smoothness of the subject's menstrual cycle, and third information regarding the subject's premenstrual syndrome (S110, S210, S310), evaluates the subject's physical and mental state at a predetermined phase of the menstrual cycle based on the subject information (S120, S220, S320), and proposes measures to improve the evaluated physical and mental state of the subject (S130, S230, S330).

[0067] Furthermore, one embodiment of the present invention may be a strategy proposal device comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires subject information including first information relating to the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle, second information relating to the smoothness of the subject's menstrual cycle, and at least one of third information relating to the subject's premenstrual syndrome; an evaluation unit that evaluates the subject's physical and mental state at a predetermined phase of the menstrual cycle based on the subject information; and a proposal unit that proposes measures to improve the evaluated physical and mental state of the subject.

[0068] In any of the first to third embodiments, in step S130, S230, or S330, in which a strategy is proposed, one strategy may be generated, or multiple strategies may be generated. If multiple strategies are generated, the strategies may be ranked according to their degree of effectiveness. In this case, multiple strategies can be proposed to the target person, and the target person can select a strategy from these strategies to implement. Furthermore, after one strategy has been initially proposed to the target person, if the target person requests a strategy other than that one, a strategy with the next highest level of effectiveness can also be proposed. When a target person requests a strategy other than the one initially proposed, this may refer to cases where the target person rejects the initial strategy at the time of proposal, or where the target person implements the initial strategy but feels it is ineffective; in other words, it may refer to cases where a certain amount of time has passed since the strategy was proposed before the target person requests another strategy.

[0069] Furthermore, all of the technologies according to the embodiments described above can be performed not only once, but multiple times over a certain period of time with time intervals between them. That is, the flow shown in Figure 3, Figure 5, or Figure 6 can be performed multiple times. For example, it can be performed continuously over a period of one week or more, one month or more, several months or more, one year or more, or several years or more, for example, daily, once every few days, once a week, once a month, etc. Since the physical and mental state and menstrual type of the subject are likely to change over time, by adding the information obtained when the latest physical and mental state is evaluated (S120, S220, S320), it becomes possible to evaluate the physical and mental state based on the latest information each time, and consequently, to propose measures for improving the physical and mental state. In that case, the information added each time can be stored and accumulated in the memory unit 12 of the physical and mental state evaluation device 10. In this way, the technology for evaluating the physical and mental state and additionally proposing measures according to the present invention can be continuously performed on a single subject. In that case, the results of the evaluation and proposals can be displayed over time, for example, on a calendar.

[0070] The evaluation results are synchronized with the menstrual cycle based on the information about the menstrual cycle entered by the subject, and by displaying both together as images (charts, etc.), the subject can easily grasp changes in their own physical and mental state along with changes in the phases of the menstrual cycle, and if they implement the proposed measures, they can also easily grasp the effects of the measures. In addition, the evaluation results may be displayed in synchronization with information such as walking and sleep acquired by another terminal (a smart device such as a ring-type or wristwatch-type device with a predetermined measurement function, or a smartphone with a predetermined measurement function application, etc.) as described as the measurement device 30 (Figure 1).

[0071] All of the technologies according to the embodiments described above can be provided as programs (applications) to organizations that provide cosmetics, beauty equipment, beauty treatments, beauty suggestions, etc. in the beauty field, or to organizations that operate sports gyms, fitness clubs, running stations, etc. in the health and sports field.

[0072] The following is an example of an analysis for constructing a database that can be used in the evaluation of mental and physical states according to the present invention.

[0073] <Information Acquisition> For several adult women (70) with menstruation, information regarding the phase of their menstrual cycle (first information), information regarding the regularity of their menstrual cycle (second information), and information regarding premenstrual syndrome (third information) were acquired multiple times at different times (on different days). This information was obtained by conducting interviews with each individual. On the same days, information regarding each individual's physical and mental state was also acquired through interviews or measurements. Information regarding physical and mental state was acquired, including physical and mental conditions. Physical conditions included skin condition (including objective and subjective skin information), the condition of body tissues other than the skin, and physical conditions related to lifestyle habits.

[0074] <Determination of Menstrual Cycle Type> Regarding the phase of the menstrual cycle, the number of days in the menstrual cycle and the date of the most recent menstrual period were inquired about. Based on the number of days counted from the start of menstruation on the day the information was obtained, it was determined that the patient was in either the pre-ovulatory phase (follicular phase), which lasts from the start of menstruation to the day before ovulation, or the post-ovulatory phase (luteal phase), which lasts from after ovulation to the day before the start of menstruation.

[0075] To assess the regularity of the menstrual cycle, the following five questions regarding the menstrual cycle were asked. Those who selected 1 or 3 in their answers were classified as the "regular menstrual type," while those who selected any other option were classified as the "irregular menstrual type": 1. Regular cycles with intervals of 25-38 days each time. 2. Regular cycles with intervals of 25-38 days each time. 3. Irregular cycles (less than half the time), but the cycle is generally within the 25-38 day range. 4. Irregular cycles (less than half the time), and when irregular, the cycle is not within the 25-38 day range. 5. Irregular cycles each time (e.g., once every few months). In other words, in this case, those whose menstrual cycles were within the 25-38 day range for less than half of their past menstrual cycles were classified as the "regular menstrual type," while all others were classified as the "irregular menstrual type."

[0076] Regarding premenstrual syndrome (PMS), the definition of PMS was given as follows: "PMS is a mental or physical condition that lasts for 3 to 10 days before menstruation and improves or disappears with the onset of menstruation. The main symptoms include emotional instability, irritability, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite / overeating, dizziness, fatigue, abdominal pain, headache, back pain, swelling, bloating, breast tenderness, etc." After explaining this to each person, they were asked to choose from 1 to 5 to describe their condition. 1. I think it's quite severe 2. I think it's somewhat severe 3. I can't say either way 4. I think it's somewhat not severe 5. I think it's not severe In this example, those who chose "1" and "2" were classified as "PMS present type" and "PMS absent type".

[0077] Furthermore, menstrual types were classified as follows: Menstrual type A: Irregular menstruation and PMS present; Menstrual type B: Irregular menstruation and no PMS; Menstrual type C: Regular menstruation and PMS present; Menstrual type D: Regular menstruation and no PMS.

[0078] <Details of Information Regarding Mental and Physical Condition> As part of the information regarding mental and physical condition, a total of 20 items of objective skin condition information were obtained using measuring instruments. Specifically, numerical information was obtained for the following areas of skin: "stratum corneum moisture content," "redness," "yellowing," "whiteness," "transpiration," "elasticity (skin hardness, R0)," "elasticity (total elasticity, R2)," "elasticity (net elasticity, R5)," "elasticity (recovery elasticity, R7)," "roughness," and "skin texture." This information was obtained separately for the cheeks, which are exposed areas in normal daily life, and the inner upper arm, which is not exposed or is only partially exposed. The elasticity index was selected from the R0 to R9 index using a Cutometer (manufactured by Courage+Khazaka). In addition, 34 items of subjective skin condition information, such as "acne," "greasyness," and "makeup easily smudged," were obtained through interviews.

[0079] Regarding the physical condition, information on the state of body tissues other than skin was obtained for a total of 92 items. Of these items, 22 items were obtained as body fluid component amounts, including "estrogen," "progesterone," "FSH," "LH," "prolactin," "serotonin," "cortisol," "melatonin," "oxytocin," "DHEA," "MHPG," "iron," "sodium," "triglycerides," "total cholesterol," "BDNF," and "CRP," through analysis of components in blood or saliva.

[0080] In addition, the MDQ (Menstrual Distress Questionnaire) score was obtained through interviews and included in the information on physical condition. Furthermore, two items representing overall physical characteristics, "age" and "BMI," were also obtained through interviews.

[0081] Regarding mental state, information was obtained for a total of 22 items: "openness," "conscientiousness," "extraversion," "agreeableness," and "neuroticism" using the BIG FIVE rating scale; "happiness" using the Japanese version of the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS); and "empathy" using the Multidimensional Empathy Scale (MES).

[0082] Regarding lifestyle habits, information was obtained on a total of five items: "tendency towards being a morning or evening person" through a questionnaire, and "sleep phase," "sleep quantity," and "sleep quality" through a questionnaire using the 3-Dimensional Sleep Scale (3DSS).

[0083] <Analysis> The data obtained as described above was analyzed using the statistical analysis software "R" to examine changes in physical and mental state during the pre-ovulation and post-ovulation phases. The analysis revealed that certain physical and mental state items are more likely to change during the pre-ovulation and post-ovulation phases, that the items that are more likely to change differ depending on the menstrual type (influenced by the menstrual type), and that the likelihood of change among the items that are more likely to change also differs depending on the menstrual type (influenced by the menstrual type).

[0084] The following are some examples based on the analysis results.

[0085] Table 1 lists the physical and mental state items that showed a significant change in evaluation values ​​between the pre-ovulation and post-ovulation phases for menstrual type D, and indicates the direction in which those physical and mental states changed between phases (increase or decrease in evaluation values). Therefore, by using analysis results like those shown in Table 1 as a database for evaluation, it is possible to identify physical and mental state items that require attention in each phase of the menstrual cycle, according to the determined menstrual type. For example, from Table 1, if a subject with menstrual type D is in the pre-ovulation phase, messages such as "The texture of your cheeks may worsen after ovulation" or "The texture of your cheeks may worsen after XX days" can be displayed. Furthermore, possible measures (strategies) can be proposed for the physical and mental state items that require attention.

[0086]

[0087] Table 2 lists the items of physical and mental conditions that showed significant differences between menstrual type A (irregular menstruation with PMS) and menstrual type B (irregular menstruation without PMS) for both the pre-ovulation and post-ovulation phases, and shows the trend of these differences (magnitude of evaluation values). Therefore, by using analysis results like those shown in Table 2 as a database, it is possible to identify the items of physical and mental conditions affected by PMS in both the pre-ovulation and post-ovulation phases for subjects with irregular menstruation, and to propose what measures (strategies) are possible based on those items.

[0088]

[0089] Table 3 lists the items of physical and mental state that showed significant differences between menstrual type C (regular menstruation with PMS) and menstrual type D (regular menstruation without PMS) for both the pre-ovulation and post-ovulation phases, and shows the trend of these differences (magnitude of evaluation values). Therefore, by using analysis results like those shown in Table 3 as a database, it is possible to identify the items of physical and mental state affected by PMS in both the pre-ovulation and post-ovulation phases for subjects with regular menstruation, and to propose what measures (strategies) are possible based on those items.

[0090]

[0091] In each table, "*" indicates p < 0.05 and "**" indicates p < 0.01.

[0092] Although the present invention has been described above based on specific embodiments and examples, these embodiments and examples are merely presented as examples, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and examples. Within the scope of the present invention, various changes, modifications, substitutions, deletions, additions, and combinations are possible.

[0093] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-171560, filed on 30 September 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0094] 1 System 10 Physical and Mental State Evaluation Device 20 Terminal 30 Measurement Device 11 Information Acquisition Unit 12 Storage Unit 13 Menstrual Type Determination Unit 14 Evaluation Unit 15 Proposal Unit 16 Output Unit 1001 Control Device 1002 Main Memory Unit 1003 Auxiliary Memory Unit 1004 Input Device 1005 Output Device 1006 Interface Unit Sb Target Person

Claims

1. A mental and physical state evaluation device comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires subject information including first information regarding the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle, second information regarding the smoothness of the subject's menstrual cycle, and third information regarding the subject's premenstrual syndrome, and an evaluation unit that evaluates the subject's mental and physical state at a predetermined phase of the subject's menstrual cycle based on the subject information.

2. The mental and physical state evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the mental and physical state is at least one of a physical state and a mental state.

3. The mental and physical state evaluation device according to claim 2, wherein the physical state includes one or more of the skin condition, the condition of body tissues other than the skin, and a physical state related to lifestyle habits.

4. The mental and physical state evaluation device according to claim 3, wherein the skin condition includes one or more selected from the group consisting of skin texture, melanin content, oxygen saturation, firmness, acne, yellowness, redness, dullness, sensitivity, dryness, moisture content, transepidermal water loss, flexibility, friction / vibration, brightness, and glossiness; the condition of body tissues other than skin includes the concentration of body fluid components including one or more selected from the group consisting of estrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, serotonin, cortisol, oxytocin, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, triglycerides, cholesterol, protein, minerals, blood cells, vitamins, oxidative factors, antioxidant factors, and inflammatory factors; and the physical condition related to lifestyle habits includes one or more conditions related to lifestyle habits selected from the group consisting of chronotype, sleep, smoking, and drinking.

5. The mental state evaluation device according to claim 2, wherein the mental state includes one or more selected from the group consisting of concentration, anxiety, intensity of positive and negative emotions, calmness, mood elevation, stress level, happiness, personality traits, and empathy level.

6. The mental and physical state evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined phase is the pre-ovulation phase from the start of menstruation to before ovulation, or the post-ovulation phase from after ovulation to before the start of menstruation.

7. The mental and physical condition evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the second information regarding the regularity of the subject's menstrual cycle includes information on whether the subject's menstrual cycle is within or outside the range of a standard menstrual cycle.

8. The mental and physical state evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the third information relating to the subject's premenstrual syndrome is information relating to the degree of premenstrual syndrome as perceived by the subject.

9. The mental and physical state evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising a menstrual type determination unit that determines the menstrual type of the subject based on at least one of the second information and the third information, wherein the evaluation unit includes referring to a group of data in a pre-acquired database that have the same menstrual type as the subject's menstrual type.

10. The mental and physical state evaluation device according to claim 9, wherein the menstrual type determination unit performs at least one of the following: determining whether the subject's menstrual cycle is regular or irregular based on the second information; and determining whether the subject has premenstrual syndrome based on the third information.

11. The mental and physical state evaluation device according to claim 9, wherein the evaluation unit evaluates changes in the mental and physical state of the subject according to the phase of the menstrual cycle.

12. The mental and physical state evaluation device according to claim 9, wherein the evaluation unit evaluates the effect of premenstrual syndrome on the mental and physical state of the subject during a predetermined phase of the subject.

13. The mental and physical state evaluation device according to claim 9, wherein the evaluation unit evaluates the effect of the regularity of the menstrual cycle on the mental and physical state of the subject during a predetermined phase of the subject.

14. A strategy suggestion device further comprising a suggestion unit that suggests measures for improvement regarding the mental and physical state of the subject evaluated by the mental and physical state evaluation device according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. The strategy suggestion device according to claim 14, wherein the strategy includes one or more of the following: cosmetics, cosmetic treatments for the skin, psychotherapy, and suggestions for improving lifestyle habits.

16. A method for evaluating the physical and mental state of a subject, comprising obtaining subject information including first information regarding the phase of the subject's menstrual cycle, second information regarding the regularity of the subject's menstrual cycle, and third information regarding the subject's premenstrual syndrome, and evaluating the subject's physical and mental state at a predetermined phase of the menstrual cycle based on the subject information.

17. A database construction method comprising obtaining information from a large number of individuals, including at least one of first information regarding the phases of the menstrual cycle, second information regarding the regularity of the menstrual cycle, and third information regarding premenstrual syndrome, and further obtaining information regarding the physical and mental state of the said large number of individuals, and constructing a database relating to the physical and mental state at a predetermined phase of the menstrual cycle for each menstrual type classified based on at least one of the second and third information.

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