How Periods Affect People In The Workforce
- Vibha Sanjay
- Mar 17, 2021
- 2 min read
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
Those who menstruate know very well that your period can impact your productivity at work or school. A BBC survey found that more than half of all women* have experienced period pain that impacted their ability to work. However, the specific impact of your period can vary greatly between individuals. Many menstruators find it difficult to focus and feel lethargic during their period, but others feel more focused and alert. These feelings are due to the way you react to the hormonal changes that occur during your period.
Though information is transmitted through the brain using electrical signals, the performance of the neurons transmitting said information is influenced by the mix of hormones surrounding them. The release of estrogen and progesterone can also affect your levels of motivation and how focused you are, but the times in which these hormones are released are unpredictable.
Additionally, there is the more obvious impact of period cramps on your productivity. Feeling pain can understandably take a toll on your focus and ability to complete certain tasks. A possible solution is “Period Leave”, people who menstruate could use these days when they have particularly bad cramps. But to instate period leave, we first need to destigmatize getting your period. In many places, it’s still taboo to talk about getting your period. When people try to explain that they need to go home or take a day off due to cramps, they are laughed off and dismissed. Not only is this rude, but it also adds to the stigmatization of menstruation. That’s why periods must be destigmatized, treated as part of daily life, not a taboo.
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*The articles and studies referenced in this post referred only to women in the workforce, but we can extrapolate those findings to all people who menstruate.
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