Making workplaces more period-friendly
Navigating menstruation at work can be a tricky topic. While formalised period leave is often discussed as a solution, those who menstruate, particularly women, don’t want time off to affect job prospects or further entrench the gender pay gap. What they want it to feel comfortable having the conversation and to feel their needs are accommodated.
With the aim of educating employers, the period poverty charity, Bloody Good Period, has launched an initiative, Bloody Good Employers, a four-step training and certification programme to help bosses educate themselves and offer more proactive support in the workplace. Based on the charity’s findings, 89% of people experience anxiety of stress in the workplace due to their period.
Joe Gray, Bloody Good Employers lead, tells HuffPost UK: “UK employers need to do a lot more to ensure that individuals experiencing menstruation at work are properly supported. Making sure you support colleagues is about much more than offering menstrual leave.
“As helpful as it will be to many women and people who menstruate who do need time off, it’s also about ensuring there are period products in toilets (in the same way you would supply toilet paper and soap without question) and having policies which don’t negatively impact those who suffer from painful and debilitating menstrual conditions.”
Accommodating periods might look like later starts, earlier finishes or a smaller work load when an employee has had only two hours sleep due to debilitating pain (from dysmenorrhea or endometriosis, for instance). Or it might mean a break in the day for someone who is suffering intense cramps.
“Perhaps most crucially,” Gray adds, “this is about fostering a culture of open communication, which not only allows employees to be able to ask for more support, but encourages managers to educate themselves to better understand menstrual health. This will mean managers instigate more proactive conversations with their teams, taking the onus off the individual, so taking more responsibility for wellbeing and professional progress too.”
Midwife Sarah Toler has advice for a range of different period sleep issues.
“If you lose sleep because of painful cramps in the middle of the night, take an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) drug before you go to bed to prevent waking up in pain,” says Toler.
“If you think you your bleeding is heavy and you experience severe fatigue around the time of your period, this might be a sign of anaemia,” she says. “Your healthcare provider can run some simple blood tests to see if you are anaemic and they may recommend an iron supplement.”
“If you’re losing sleep because your bleeding is heavy and you’re bleeding through your tampon, cup, or pad, invest in some period underwear designed for overnight,” says Toler. “They can seem pricey at first, but they are so worth it. You’ll get a better night’s sleep, plus you can rewear them for every period for about a year. If you can’t afford period underwear, a small box of underwear for urinary incontinence will provide the same benefit.”
“If it’s fatigue that’s causing your disrupted sleep, stay away from caffeine and alcohol, two chemicals that can really upset your sleep/wake cycle. There is some science that sleeping in a very cold room with the temperature around 67°F (19°C) can help your body sleep more deeply, so you can also try this too.”
