🧠🔥 Hot Flashes in the Server Room: Surviving Perimenopause in Deep Tech By TechSheThink – Where Empowerment Gets a Bit Sweaty (and Still Codes Like a Queen)

-

 


🧬 Let’s Talk About the Thing No One Talks About

Brain fog while deploying code. Hot flashes during a client demo. Anxiety attacking mid-sprint.
Welcome to perimenopause in Deep Tech — where hormonal chaos meets high-stakes systems.

It’s real. It’s invisible. And it’s pushing far too many women out of tech roles they’ve spent years building.
We’re not broken. We’re evolving. So let’s normalize this, not hide it.



💻 Symptoms That Can Derail a Sprint

Perimenopause — often starting in your 30s or 40s — brings a bouquet of fun:

  • Brain fog (wait, what’s the command line again?)

  • Hot flashes (turn down the server, not me)

  • Anxiety and mood swings (sorry Jenkins, it’s not you, it’s me)

  • Insomnia and fatigue (trying to debug on 2 hours of sleep = pain)

In a culture that worships 24/7 productivity, these symptoms can be career-threatening — but only if we keep pretending they don’t exist.

📊 The Numbers Behind the Burnout

Here’s what the data tells us:

  • 67% of working women aged 40–60 say menopause negatively impacts their work

  • 79% struggle with reduced concentration

  • 46% feel less physically able to carry out their tasks

  • 10% have left a job due to symptoms

  • Over 50% have missed work because of symptoms
    (Source: CIPD, Fawcett Society)

We need workplace adjustments — not more silence.



🛠 Building a Tech-Supportive Toolkit

Let’s talk real-world fixes that actually help.

AdjustmentWhat It Looks Like
Flexible working hoursWork during your clearest brain window, rest when your energy tanks
Temperature controlPortable fans, desk placement near ventilation, or cool-down rooms
Dress code freedomBreathable fabrics, layers, no pressure to “dress up” for meetings
Breaks without guiltMicro-breaks to manage symptoms or reset mentally during high-stress tasks
Ergonomic supportBetter seating, posture tools, wrist and back support to reduce fatigue
Hydration & wellness nudgesOffice water stations, healthy snacks, wellness walks
Occupational health referralsMenopause-aware advice and treatment options at work

You are not asking for perks. You're asking for parity.

⚖️ Know Your Rights (Especially in the UK)

Under the Equality Act 2010, perimenopause can be considered a protected health condition under:

  • Sex discrimination

  • Age discrimination

  • Disability discrimination

This means your employer has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments if your symptoms impact your ability to work.

👉 Equality & Human Rights Commission Guidance

🧪 These Tech Companies Are Leading the Way

It’s not just a dream — real companies are showing what menopause support can look like in tech:

  • Microsoft – Menopause leave, hormone therapy access, and specialist care

  • Nvidia – Support for finding treatments and internal health coaching

  • ClearScore – Offers educational resources and Q&A sessions with menopause specialists

  • Organon – Menopause leave, quiet spaces, and manager awareness programs

We can demand more — and point to proof that it’s already working elsewhere.




🤖 Let the Tech Support You

Tech to help with tech (and hormones):

  • AI assistants like ChatGPT or GitHub Copilot: Reduce brain fog stress

  • Task managers (Trello, Asana): Offload your memory

  • Symptom trackers (Clue, Balance, Fitbit): Learn your cycle, predict crashes

  • Mindfulness apps (Headspace, Calm): Pause your brain before it melts

  • Noise-canceling headphones + Pomodoro apps: Minimize overwhelm

Let the robots actually support us for once.

💬 Advocate. Normalize. Stay.

🙋‍♀️ Talk About It

The more we speak up, the more we shift the culture.

🧑‍💼 Train Managers

Push for awareness training for your team leads and HR.

🤝 Build Circles

Start a “Menopause in Tech” Slack channel or LinkedIn group.

💌 Ask for Adjustments

Use your legal rights and make your needs known without shame.

💡 Redesign the Work, Not the Women

Your brain isn’t broken. Your worth isn’t diminished.
You’re running a complex, brilliant operating system with new specs — and it deserves an upgrade, not a shutdown.




🔔 Call to Action

📩 Share this article with a colleague, manager, or HR leader. Start the conversation.
📎 Download our free guide:
“Thriving Through Perimenopause in Tech: A Workplace Survival Checklist” (coming next!)
👩‍💻 Subscribe to TechSheThink for more empowering content on real life in tech — hormones and all.

🏷 Tags

#TechSheThink #WomenInTech #PerimenopauseAwareness #AI #CloudCareers #DeepTech #MenopauseInTech #EqualityAct #WellnessAtWork #InclusiveWorkplaces #Neurodiversity


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Why Women Are Still Locked Out of Tech Investing and Innovation.

-
Image
Ah, the tech industry—home to billion-dollar ideas, disruptive innovation, and... an almost comical lack of women in positions of power. Let’s talk numbers (don’t worry, we’ll keep it fun).  Only 13% of venture capital (VC) decision-makers are women.  That means a tiny fraction of the people handing out millions to the next big thing are female.  Meanwhile, less than 20% of tech startups are founded by women, and only 28% of tech leadership roles are held by women. So, where are the women?  Are they hiding?  Have they all started an underground, women-only Silicon Valley where the WiFi is always strong, and no one interrupts them in meetings? (If so, sign me up.) The VC Gender Gap: Who Holds the Purse Strings? Picture this: You’re a brilliant female founder with an idea that could revolutionise AI, blockchain, or self-heating coffee mugs (a real need, by the way).  You step into a room full of investors—90% of whom are men in Patagonia vests—and...
Read more

Got Laid Off? Here’s How to Get Free Training & Land a Job in Tech

-
Image
Losing a job can feel like the end of the road—but in reality, it can be a new beginning, especially in tech. If you’ve been laid off, this is your chance to gain in-demand skills, pivot into a better role, and take advantage of free training programs designed to get more women into DeepTech. Why Tech? Why Now? The tech industry, especially fields like AI, cybersecurity, and blockchain, desperately needs skilled professionals —and women are massively underrepresented. Many companies and organizations now offer free training and scholarships to help women break into these high-paying careers. If you’ve been laid off, don’t panic—pivot. Here’s how: Step 1: Get Free Training & Certifications You don’t need a computer science degree to land a tech job. Many platforms offer free or low-cost training to help you upskill quickly. 🔹 AI & Cloud Computing Microsoft AI Skills Challenge – Free AI, cloud, and cybersecurity courses 🔗 Learn more AWS Cloud Practitio...
Read more

Women in Deep Tech - Potential

-
Image
The future of deeptech—quantum computing, AI hardware, biotech, Web3—is being built right now. But there’s a problem: women are severely underrepresented in these fields. 💡 Imagine if we could tap into the full potential of diverse minds in deeptech innovation. How many breakthroughs are we missing out on? That’s why I started TechSheThink—to spotlight the incredible women pushing the boundaries of deeptech and to create a space where more women enter, lead, and shape the future of technology. This isn’t just about diversity—it’s about unlocking the next wave of groundbreaking innovations. I’d love to hear from you: ➡️ Who are the female pioneers in deeptech that inspire you? ➡️ What challenges do women in deeptech face that we should talk more about? #TechSheThink #WomenInTech #Deeptech #Innovation #AI #QuantumComputing #Biotech
Read more