--- title: Does working night shifts make menstrual cycle symptoms worse? description: 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 link url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-effects-of-nightwork-on-psychological-changes-during-the-menstrual-cycle-1995/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does working night shifts make menstrual cycle symptoms worse? 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. Early or limited evidence 24 nurses on rotating night shifts ## 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](https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.1995.21050996.x) ## 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 ↗