Periods Are Impacting Daily Life for Millions of Australians
- florianegoest
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
What just happened
A new report from Jean Hailes for Women’s Health reveals how much periods affect everyday life for people in Australia who menstruate. Based on data from the 2023 National Women’s Health Survey, it found that nearly four in five experience severe period symptoms. (Jean Hailes)
Three in four of these people find their symptoms make daily activities harder, almost 74% report impacts on mood and mental wellbeing, and two in five have missed days of work or study because of their period. (Jean Hailes)
You can read the full report and download it here: https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/news/new-report-reveals-serious-impact-of-periods-on-daily-life. (Jean Hailes)
Why this matters for people who menstruate
Periods can be painful and unpredictable and yet, nobody would exist without them. We are all alive because of the menstrual cycle.
For people dealing with severe symptoms, the impact goes well beyond cramps. Work, study, relationships, mental health, confidence, and social life can all be affected.
Many still struggle to access effective care, affordable products, or supportive environments. A lot of this gets dismissed, minimised, or normalised, leaving people to cope alone.
That is not fair, and it is not sustainable.
Periods are essential to life itself. Nobody would exist without them, yet the people living with them are still expected to cope quietly.
The bigger cultural issue
This report makes clear what people who menstruate already know: Stigma and misunderstanding around periods are still deeply rooted. Silence, dismissal, and inflexible workplaces make it harder to manage something that should be part of life, not a hidden burden.
When periods affect work, study, and mental health, this stops being a personal issue and becomes a systemic one.
Public conversations about period equity often focus only on access to products and miss the full picture of pain, heavy flow, irregular cycles, mental health, employment, education, and sustainability. Disposable products add financial and environmental stress too. Flo Collection aims to reduce stigma and spread menstrual cycle awareness because open dialogue and real education are essential for change.
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The Australian context
Australia is starting to acknowledge period challenges. Efforts to tackle period poverty and improve support in schools and workplaces are positive steps. However, support is inconsistent and severe symptoms often go unaddressed.
Periods are still treated as a personal inconvenience instead of a public health issue.
Change depends on multiple stakeholders. Employers, educators, healthcare providers, and policymakers have roles in redesigning systems so that people who menstruate are understood and supported. And let’s not forget: periods are fundamental to human existence. Without them, none of us would be here.
What needs to happen next
Real change means:
Workplaces and education systems that recognise menstrual health needs
Funding research that includes diverse voices including First Nations communities
Affordable, high-quality period products accessible to everyone who needs them
Menstrual education that normalises periods, reduces stigma, and encourages cycle awareness
Systems must change so that periods stop being a hidden barrier to participation, wellbeing, and equality.
When we understand menstrual cycles better, periods become easier to manage and harder to dismiss.
Where Flo Collection sits on this
Flo Collection designs period underwear for real bodies, real cycles, and real life. We focus on reducing pain, stress, and disposable waste while supporting informed cycle-aware choices. We aim to reduce stigma and spread menstrual cycle awareness so that people who menstruate can navigate their periods with confidence and dignity.
Reducing stigma and spreading menstrual cycle awareness is how we make periods less punishing in real life.
Periods are physical, cultural, and political. This report reminds us that menstrual challenges will not disappear unless we address systemic gaps, stigma, and lack of support.
Learn how our period underwear reduces waste while supporting real menstrual needs.
