--- title: Does insomnia from shift work cause irregular periods? | Niyora description: Yes. Nurses with insomnia had 2-3 times higher odds of developing irregular periods compared to those without insomnia. The more severe the insomnia, the high url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-menstrual-cycle-associated-with-insomnia-in-newly-employed-nurses-performing-2019/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does insomnia from shift work cause irregular periods? Cohort study, 2019 # Does insomnia from shift work cause irregular periods? Yes. Nurses with insomnia had 2-3 times higher odds of developing irregular periods compared to those without insomnia. The more severe the insomnia, the higher the risk. Moderate study design 287 newly-employed shift-working nurses followed for 12 months (238 with regular cycles at baseline) ## What they did A prospective cohort study of 287 newly-employed nurses followed for 12 months from 2015-2016. At 6 months, insomnia was measured using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Menstrual cycle information was collected at the start and at 12 months through clinical interviews. ## What they found Nurses with insomnia had 2.05-fold higher odds of newly developing menstrual cycle irregularity (95% CI 1.12-3.77) compared with nurses without insomnia. Nurses with insomnia had 3.05-fold higher prevalence of menstrual cycle irregularity (95% CI 1.81-5.13). As insomnia severity increased, both the odds of developing and having irregular periods increased. ## What it means for you Insomnia from shift work may directly cause menstrual irregularity, separately from effects of disrupted sleep-wake cycles. This suggests sleep quality itself matters for period regularity. However, the study only looked at nurses, so results may not apply to other jobs or populations. 287 Total nurses enrolled 2.05 Fold increase in odds of new irregularity 3.05 Fold increase in irregularity prevalence ## About the study Original title The menstrual cycle associated with insomnia in newly employed nurses performing shift work: a 12-month follow-up study Authors Kang W, Jang KH, Lim HM et al. Journal International archives of occupational and environmental health Year 2019 Study design Cohort study Participants 287 Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s00420-018-1371-y](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-018-1371-y) ## Topics [Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Cohort study, 2024 Does psychological distress in adolescence predict menstrual symptoms in adulthood? Survey study, 2026 Does exercise help college women with period problems and mental health? Survey study, 2026 What lifestyle and work factors are linked to PMDD symptoms in Chinese nurses? Survey study, 2026 What factors are linked with period pain in teenage girls in Ethiopia? Survey study, 2026 How do pain, sleep quality, and appetite change across the menstrual cycle? Survey study, 2025 What behavioral symptoms of premenstrual syndrome are most common? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗