Relationship between menstrual cycle and psychophysiological workload of night work among teleworkers

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K00760
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Home economics/Human life
• Research Institution: Mie Prefectural College of Nursing
• Principal Investigator: Ohira Motoko 三重県立看護大学, 看護学部, 教授 (20259386)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 齋藤 真 三重県立看護大学, 看護学部, 教授 (70178482) ; 市川 陽子 三重県立看護大学, 看護学部, 助教 (30805453)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: テレワーク / 月経周期 / 夜間労働

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Telework provides women with more work flexibility; however, there are growing concerns that it leads to night work and long hours. In the present study, we conducted a questionnaire and interview survey on the lives of female teleworkers, and performed an experiment on the physical and mental workload of night work during their menstrual cycle. The results showed that female teleworkers felt conflicted between their yearning to work and feelings of guilt towards their families, and managing their health was their own responsibility. The results of the study showed that physical and mental workload such as fatigue due to night work increased during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, suggesting a decline in quality of sleep.

Free Research Field

看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

女性のテレワーカーは、育児と仕事の両立など在宅での仕事量が増え、過重労働となることが懸念される。テレワークには【生活、仕事に裁量と自己の責任】【不規則な生活と自分に委ねられる健康管理】が求められ、月経との関連では、『月経周期に合わせた仕事の調整ができる』一方、『月経前の不調を感じるがコントロールが難しい』ことが分かった。さらに、黄体期における夜間テレワークの生体負担が大きく、睡眠への影響が明らかになったことは学術的に高い意味を持つ。今後のテレワークによる健康的な働き方への提言に寄与する研究である。