19/09/2025
Late-night work and endless screen time can quietly disrupt women’s fertility by throwing the body’s natural clock off schedule. Our circadian rhythm guides hormone pulses—GnRH, LH, FSH, melatonin—and when bedtime slips past midnight, these signals can become irregular. Blue light from phones and laptops suppresses melatonin, a sleep hormone that also protects egg quality from oxidative stress. Chronic sleep debt elevates cortisol, encouraging insulin resistance; together, they can worsen ovulatory problems, heighten PMS, and increase risk of irregular cycles or PCOS-like patterns.
Shift work adds another layer. Rotating nights confuse the brain’s light–dark cues, leading to poorer sleep efficiency, more inflammation, and reduced luteal phase stability. Over time, this may translate into delayed ovulation, shorter cycles, or luteal insufficiency—making conception harder.
Resets help. Aim for 7–9 hours of consistent sleep, ideally with lights out by 11 pm. Use blue-light filters after sunset, dim room lighting, and keep screens away for the final 60 minutes. Anchor your mornings with daylight exposure and a protein-rich breakfast. Batch notifications, schedule deep work earlier, and keep caffeine before 2 pm. If you must work nights, protect recovery sleep with blackout curtains and earplugs. When cycles stay irregular, consider consulting a gynecologist or fertility specialist.
