Pinkishe Foundation
31/10/2026
Dr. Shehla Jamal
Picture your typical Tuesday at work. A back-to-back schedule. Two important meetings before lunch. A presentation in the afternoon. A team review in the evening. Maybe you lead projects and handle office politics. Maybe you teach class after class, work a hospital shift, or stand behind a counter all day.
Now add this. A hot flash that arrives twenty minutes into the morning meeting. Brain fog that makes you forget the name of the colleague you have known for eight years. The exhaustion of having slept poorly for the third night in a row. Anxiety that sits in your chest through the afternoon. Your body, in the middle of all of this, is going through a big change, and you are expected to perform as if everything is the same.
This is the daily reality for many Indian women working through perimenopause and menopause. And very few workplaces in India are set up to acknowledge it, let alone support it.
If this sounds familiar, you are not imagining it, and you are not less capable than before. Perimenopause, the years before your periods stop, and menopause itself can bring hot flashes, brain fog, poor sleep, anxiety and heavy or unpredictable periods. Small changes at work, a little support, and help from a doctor where needed can make a real difference.
The symptoms you have at home do not stay at home. They show up at the office, in meetings, on calls, in front of clients.
Hot flashes during meetings. The wave of heat arrives with no regard for your schedule. You fan yourself discreetly. You hope nobody notices. Sometimes nobody does. Sometimes someone does and you wish they had not.
Brain fog at the worst possible moments. You stand up to present and lose the thread. You walk into a colleague's cabin and forget why you came. You miss a small detail in an email and your perfectionism eats at you for days afterwards.
Exhaustion that no amount of coffee fixes. You are running on broken sleep and your body is not refilling its tank the way it used to. By 3 pm you are running on reserves.
Mood swings. Things that would not have bothered you five years ago suddenly feel far more frustrating. Your patience runs shorter. Your tolerance for office politics drops.
Anxiety in moments that used to feel routine. The presentation you have given a hundred times now makes you nervous. You wonder why you are suddenly unsure of yourself.
Heavy or unpredictable periods. Long meetings become difficult. Travel becomes complicated. You manage logistics that no one else has to think about. Very heavy periods are not something to put up with. If you soak a pad in an hour or two, pass large clots, or feel tired and breathless, see a doctor: it can cause anaemia and is treatable.
Many Indian women going through menopause at work hide it on purpose. There are clear reasons for this.
Career worries are real. There is a fear, sometimes justified, that admitting to physical or mental struggles will affect promotions, performance reviews, or how seriously you are taken. Women who already face bias around age and gender do not want to add another reason to be underestimated.
Cultural reasons. Indian workplaces still have a strong habit of not discussing personal matters, especially women's health. Many women find it hard to mention a hot flash at work, to anyone.
Inner pressure. Many women hold themselves to very high standards. Admitting that their body is making things harder feels, somehow, like admitting failure.
These are small, practical steps that many women find useful.
Manage your surroundings where you can. Keep a small fan at your desk. Wear layers you can take off. Sit near a door, a window or an air vent when you can. Keep cold water nearby. None of this is dramatic, and it adds up.
Rethink your schedule when possible. If you have any flexibility in your day, put your most demanding work in the morning, when energy and clarity are often best. Save lighter work for the afternoon dip.
Take your sleep seriously. Sleep is the foundation under your work. Treat it as a professional priority, not a personal indulgence. Protect those hours.
Take proper breaks. Indian workplaces tend to praise the person who never stops. In midlife, this approach can wear you down. Take real breaks. Walk for ten minutes. Eat a proper lunch away from your desk. Step outside for fresh air. These are not luxuries.
Be careful with caffeine. Coffee or chai feels like the answer when you are tired, but too much can disturb your sleep that night and make anxiety worse. Keep it to the morning and switch to water or a caffeine-free drink in the afternoon.
Manage stress before it builds. A few minutes of quiet breathing or meditation in the morning, a walk at lunch, or simply five slow breaths before a stressful meeting all reduce the load your body is carrying.
Have a small support circle. Find one or two trusted colleagues or friends who know what you are going through. The relief of being able to message someone "having a flash, stepping out for two minutes" is hard to overstate.
See a doctor if symptoms are affecting your work. A gynaecologist can talk you through treatments, including hormone therapy (HRT) and non-hormonal medicines. HRT is safe and effective for many women, but it is not right for everyone, so discuss the benefits and risks. Brain fog or tiredness that is getting worse is also worth checking, as thyroid problems and anaemia can feel similar.
This is the big question, and the answer is: it depends.
If your manager is someone you trust, who has shown understanding of personal challenges, and who has a say over your workload, sharing what you are going through can help. Even a general statement like "I am dealing with some health things in midlife and may need a bit of flexibility on a few days" gives them context without going into detail.
If your manager is unlikely to understand, or could use the information against you, you do not owe them an explanation. Manage what you can on your own and make adjustments through other means where possible.
This article is for you, the woman going through it. But it is worth naming what good workplaces look like, because we should expect more from our employers over time.
Awareness, so colleagues, especially managers, understand menopause and how it shows up at work.
Practical adjustments like temperature control, flexible hours during difficult phases, and a private space for short breaks.
Health benefits that clearly cover menopause care, including gynaecology consultations and mental health support.
A culture where women are not penalised for naming what is happening to them.
Some Indian organisations are beginning to do this. Most are not there yet.
Working through menopause takes a level of grace, ingenuity and quiet endurance that most workplaces do not see. You are doing harder work than your job description acknowledges, and you are doing it well.
Be kind to yourself in this period. Adjust where you can. Push back where you must. Build your support around you. And know that you are part of a generation of Indian women slowly reshaping what it looks like for women to work, lead and live through their full lives, including this part of it.
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If you ever feel hopeless or have thoughts of harming yourself, please talk to someone today. Call Tele-MANAS, the government's free mental health helpline, on 14416 or 1-800-891-4416, at any hour. In an emergency, call 112.
Have a question about menopause at work? Call our menstrual helpline on 85888 70999. It answers at any hour.
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Prefer to work out your dates now? Open the free ovulation calculatorThat depends on your relationship with your manager and your workplace culture. If you trust them and they have shown understanding of personal challenges, sharing in general terms can be useful. If not, manage privately and make adjustments through other means.
Keep cold water within reach, dress in light layers, sit near a door, window or air vent where possible, and keep a small handheld fan in your bag. If a flash arrives, breathe slowly, fan yourself and carry on. It usually passes within a few minutes.
Yes, it is common. Hormonal changes can affect concentration, word recall and short-term memory. For many women this gets better after menopause. Meanwhile, lean on lists, calendars and notes. If it is getting worse or worries you, see a doctor, who may check for thyroid problems or anaemia.
Keep spare pads and a change of clothes at work, and change your pad every 4 to 6 hours or sooner. Dark clothes or a jacket can help you feel at ease. If you soak a pad every hour or two or pass clots bigger than a coin, see a doctor: heavy bleeding can cause anaemia and is treatable.
Yes. A gynaecologist can talk you through treatments, including hormone therapy (HRT) and non-hormonal medicines. HRT is safe and effective for many women but not right for everyone, so discuss the benefits and risks.
Hot flashes, brain fog, poor sleep, anxiety and heavy periods can all follow you to work during menopause. Small changes to your surroundings and schedule, a trusted support circle and help from a doctor make it easier. Very heavy bleeding, or symptoms that affect your work, are reasons to see a doctor.
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