Night shifts link to menopause

WomEN who work night shifts may risk going through the menopause at a younger age, a study has found.

Researchers tracked 80,000 nurses who worked at least three nights in a month, as well as other shifts. it found women who worked this pattern for 20 months or more in the past two years had a 9 per cent greater risk of early menopause. if it was followed for more than 20 years, the risk rose to 73 per cent. Working at night is believed to affect sex hormone levels which can raise the chances of ovulation stopping.

But Dr David Stock, from the University of Dalhousie in Canada, said disruption to circadian rhythms and stress could be factors. Early menopause causes greater risk of heart disease and osteoporosis.