Survey study, 1995
Does working night shifts make menstrual cycle symptoms worse?
Probably yes. Nurses working night shifts showed lower alertness at the end of night shifts during the premenstrual phase. More night shifts per year was linked to worse and longer-lasting premenstrual problems.
What they did
24 nurses on rotating night shifts recorded sleep, mood, symptoms, and mental performance for 28 days using a hand-held computer. A separate larger group of nurses completed a survey about night shift work and menstrual problems.
What they found
Some measures showed that shift type and menstrual phase interacted, such as lower alertness at the end of night shifts during the premenstrual phase. Survey data showed an association between more nights worked per year and both longer duration and greater severity of premenstrual and menstrual problems.
What it means for you
Night shift work might worsen some menstrual symptoms, possibly because working against your body's natural rhythm creates stress. The main study was very small (24 nurses) and not all measured variables showed significant findings.
24
Nurses in main study
28
Days of data collection
About the study
- Original title
- The effects of nightwork on psychological changes during the menstrual cycle
- Authors
- Totterdell P, Spelten E, Pokorski J
- Journal
- Journal of advanced nursing
- Year
- 1995
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- None (observational study of night shift work)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.1995.21050996.x
Topics
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