Study to Analyze Effects of Menopause and Shift Work on Women's Health

The research aims to understand whether women who work night shifts, rotating rosters, and irregular schedules face heightened challenges during perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause.

This initiative arises from the findings of the 2024 Australian Senate Inquiry into menopause and perimenopause, which underscored deficiencies in workplace support, public awareness, and scientific research, emphasizing the adverse effects of menopause on workforce participation and productivity.

Lead researcher Dr. Linda Grosser noted that while symptoms like hot flushes, disrupted sleep, and brain fog are common for many women, there is limited understanding of how these symptoms are affected by the demands of shift work.

“Hot flushes, poor sleep and brain fog are common symptoms of menopause that millions of women manage every day while continuing to work, care for families and navigate daily life,” Dr. Grosser stated. “For women working night shifts or with irregular schedules, these challenges may be compounded by the impacts of shift work on sleep and recovery.”

The study will compare women's experiences across various stages of menopause alongside different work schedules, assessing sleep quality, fatigue, health, wellbeing, and overall workplace performance.

According to Dr. Grosser, the results could be crucial given that more women are remaining in the workforce longer and are employed in shift-based industries such as healthcare, emergency services, mining, and transport.

“Many women are now experiencing menopause at the peak of their careers,” she added. “Understanding these experiences is critical to developing practical strategies that support women’s health, wellbeing, and workforce participation.”

Participants will be involved through online surveys and focus groups, allowing them to share their experiences of managing menopause while working shifts. The researchers hope the findings will assist employers, healthcare providers, and policymakers in creating more effective workplace support systems and fostering healthier ageing and inclusive work environments.

Women aged 25 to 65 who are experiencing perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause are encouraged to participate in the study. Further information is available at https://redcap.link/SIRENStudy.