Every month when my period rolls around, my body whips up a kind of chaos that can be unbearable at times. I get extreme headaches, muscle pain and cramps that make me unable to sit upright. Sometimes I’m so nauseous I have to work from home to stay near a toilet in case I need to vomit. I often get irritable, sad and anxious, making it hard to leave the house for work — or even be around people. And I know I’m not alone. For many who menstruate, severe symptoms, both mental and physical, make daily life incredibly tough.

Opinion
May 21, 2025
Should companies offer period leave?
Dealing with menstruation at work remains an issue, but not everyone is convinced period leave is a good way to solve it
4 min read
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Miriam Partington was a senior reporter at Sifted, based in Berlin. She covered the DACH region and the future of work, and wrote Startup Life , a weekly newsletter on what it takes to build a startup.

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