The Graveyard Shift and Its Effect on Women
Harika Maganti
October 2025
The clock strikes five pm, and for many jobholders, they breathe a sigh of relief as they start to unwind and head back to their homes. However, for some, the alarm clock rings, as this is the time to wake up and start heading to work. Nicknamed the ‘graveyard shift,’ night shifts are an essential aspect in certain industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and customer service. But how does this unnatural timing affect the health of the women who work there? Let’s light a lantern and take a closer look at the research.
General Effects
A major effect is on the body’s circadian rhythm. It is our biological 24-hour internal clock that regulates our day-to-day sleep/wake cycles and other physiologic processes, relying on light and environmental cues. Therefore, staying up at night and working under artificial lights can disturb our body’s natural rhythm.[5] Sleep is the first to get affected as melatonin production gets thrown off balance, leading to fewer hours and poorer quality of sleep, especially for rotating shift work.[5] This in turn can affect mental health, causing fatigue, irritability, depression, anxiety, and an increase in making mistakes on tasks.[5] Evenings are usually when families and friends will spend time together, so night shifts can negatively impact the family and social lives of the workers, who can feel like they are missing out on life events.[2] Gastrointestinal issues are also quite common, such as constipation, indigestion, and heartburn as workers may drink more caffeine and eat more snacks in an attempt to stay awake.[1] Lifestyle modifications such as these and smoking could also be a reason why night shift workers are more prone to obesity compared to their daytime counterparts.[2] Unsurprisingly, there is also an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, and others.[1]
Effects on Women
Night shift work can negatively impact the reproductive health and fertility of women in particular because the secretion of many female endocrine hormones is regulated by the circadian rhythm. Sleep deprivation can cause increases in hormones such as luteinizing hormone, estriol, and thyroid-stimulating hormone.[6] One study shows that 53% of female nurses who worked graveyard shifts reported menstrual irregularities, and 18% of them reported increased dysmenorrhea.[6] There is also an increased risk for developing endometriosis and early onset of menopause.[6] In pregnancy, melatonin can aid in neurodevelopment, control oxidative stress for the growing fetus, and regulate uterine contractions during labor.[3] Thus, changes to the circadian rhythm have a negative impact on pregnancy and delivery such as miscarriage, low birth weight, and preterm labor.[3] In addition to this, women who worked night shifts for many years had an increase in the risk for developing breast or ovarian cancers. [6]
Ending Thoughts
Although we cannot control everything in our lives, women who work nightshifts can try to implement certain practices for the sake of their health: Try to prioritize sleep after work by using black-out curtains, eye-masks, and limiting noise in the house.[4] Choose healthy foods, stay hydrated, and check vitamin D levels to see if you need to supplement. [4] Talk to your employer to see if they can reduce rotating shift work or schedule your night shifts in close succession.[4] And on your days off, try to engage in self care practices such as meditation or journaling, and exercise with a friend or family member. [4] And as always, be sure to speak with your physician for advice and support.
References:
[1] Aliouche, H. (2022, January 24). What are the health effects of working night shifts?. News. https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-Are-the-Health-Effects-of-Working-Night-Shifts.aspx
[2] Brum, M. C. B., Filho, F. F. D., Schnorr, C. C., Bertoletti, O. A., Bottega, G. B., & Rodrigues, T. da C. (2020, February 10). Night shift work, short sleep and Obesity – Diabetology & Metabolic syndrome. BioMed Central. https://dmsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13098-020-0524-9
[3] McCarthy, R., Jungheim, E. S., Fay, J. C., Bates, K., Herzog, E. D., & England, S. K. (2019, September 13). Riding the rhythm of melatonin through pregnancy to deliver on Time. Frontiers in endocrinology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6753220/#s5
[4] Mozafaripour, S. (2024, October 28). How to work night shift and stay healthy: 12 essential tips: USAHS. University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. https://www.usa.edu/blog/how-to-work-night-shift-and-stay-healthy/
[5] Silva, I., & Costa, D. (2023, May 12). Consequences of shift work and night work: A literature review. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10218650/#B132-healthcare-11-01410
[6] Yaw, A. M., McLane-Svoboda, A. K., & Hoffmann, H. M. (2020, December 30). Shiftwork and light at night negatively impact molecular and endocrine timekeeping in the female reproductive axis in humans and rodents. International journal of molecular sciences. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7795361/#sec5-ijms-22-00324
