--- title: Does work stress and night shifts increase risk of PMS and PMDD? description: Yes, women working night shifts had higher rates of PMS (56% vs 32%) and PMDD (22% vs 13%) compared to women without shift work, but we cannot prove the shift url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/work-stress-premenstrual-syndrome-and-dysphoric-disorder-are-there-any-2011/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does work stress and night shifts increase risk of PMS and PMDD? Survey study, 2011 # Does work stress and night shifts increase risk of PMS and PMDD? Yes, women working night shifts had higher rates of PMS (56% vs 32%) and PMDD (22% vs 13%) compared to women without shift work, but we cannot prove the shifts caused these conditions. Early or limited evidence 55 female medical interns with night shift work and 38 female medical students without shift work, all in Iran ## What they did Compared 55 female medical interns working ten 24-hour night shifts per month to 38 female third-year medical students without shift duties. Both groups tracked 13 PMS and PMDD symptoms every night for 60 consecutive nights using a self-report questionnaire based on DSM-IV criteria. ## What they found 56% of shift workers met diagnostic criteria for PMS compared to 32% of controls. 22% of shift workers had PMDD compared to 13% of controls. In the shift-work group, the most frequent symptoms during the luteal phase were decreased energy (70.9%) and irritability (65.4%). ## What it means for you Work stress and irregular schedules may trigger or worsen PMS and PMDD symptoms, but this small study cannot prove cause and effect. Both groups were medical students in Iran, so results may not apply to other populations. 56% shift workers with PMS 70.9% decreased energy symptom 65.4% irritability symptom ## About the study Original title Work stress, premenstrual syndrome and dysphoric disorder: are there any associations? Authors Namavar Jahromi B, Pakmehr S, Hagh-Shenas H Journal Iranian Red Crescent medical journal Year 2011 Study design Survey study Participants 55 What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22737463/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22737463/) Original abstract Background: Women with recurrent and severe symptoms are diagnosed as having premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and if they suffer from severe affective symptoms, a diagnosis of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is made. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of work stress with PMS and PMDD. Methods: Fifty-five female medical students in their internship program (ten 24-hour shifts per month) and 38 third-year female medical students without any shift duties were asked to participate in this study. A questionnaire was used to record demographic information and a self-report inventory was used to measure 13 symptoms relevant to PMS and PMDD according to DSM-IV criteria. All participants were asked to complete the inventory every night around midnight for those on shifts or before going to bed at home for 60 consecutive nights. Results: Out of 55 volunteers in the shift-work group, 31 (56%) fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for PMS in contrast to 12 (32%) in the control group. The frequency of PMDD was 12 (22%) in the intern group and 5 (13%) in the control group. Twenty one students (55%) from the control group did not have PMS or PMDD, compared to 12 (22%) students from the shift workers. Decreased energy (70.9%) and irritability (65.4%) were the most frequent symptoms during the luteal phase in the shift-work group. Conclusion: Work stress and an increase in responsibility may produce or exacerbate PMS. Self-help approaches to induce self-awareness, along with psychological and psychiatric interventions, may help susceptible women to overcome this cyclic condition in order to increase their productivity as well as their quality of life. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Psychotherapy, counselling and education](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-psychotherapy/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/) 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 Survey study, 2026 How common is PMS in female university students in Lebanon and what factors increase the risk? Review, 2023 What treatments help mental and physical health problems linked to the menstrual cycle? Survey study, 2026 Is academic stress linked to PMS severity in university students? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Survey study, 2026 How common is PMDD among college women and what increases the risk? Survey study, 2026 How common is PMDD among female medical students and what triggers it? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗