“As many as 46% of individuals have sleep difficulties
in the years leading up to menopause.
Following menopause, about half of people experience…”.1

Umbrella

What may the Sleep Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Insomnia
  • Insufficient Sleep
  • Sleep Apnea
  • Sleep Changes/Difficulties/Disturbances/Problems/Symptoms
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Snoring
  • Unsatisfactory Sleep

How Much Sleep Do We Need?

How much sleep do we need?

In Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep – How Much Sleep Do We Need? the (United States) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke elaborate on:

“Your need for sleep and your sleep patterns change as you age, but this varies significantly across individuals of the same age. There is no magic “number of sleep hours” that works for everybody of the same age. Babies initially sleep as much as 16 to 18 hours per day, which may boost growth and development (especially of the brain). School-age children and teens on average need about 9.5 hours of sleep per night. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a night, but after age 60, nighttime sleep tends to be shorter, lighter, and interrupted by multiple awakenings. Older people are also more likely to take medications that interfere with sleep”.2

Menopause

Is there an association between menopause and sleep?

In How Can Menopause Affect Sleep the (United States) National Sleep Foundation (NSF) note:


Sleep“As many as 46% of individuals have sleep difficulties in the years leading up to menopause. Following menopause, about half of people experience sleep disorders”.3

In Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Sleep Disturbance the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) also note:

“It’s common to experience sleep disturbance during menopause. Around 25% of women aged 50–64 years have sleep problems. Menopausal symptoms, sleep habits and other lifestyle factors can make it hard to get a good night’s sleep”.4

Other Factors

Apart from menopause, what other factors may cause sleep disturbance?

In Menopause FAQ: Menopause Symptoms – A. Q. I’m having trouble sleeping, and I’m tired all the time. Is this because of menopause? the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) elaborate on:

“A. Some women report sleep disturbances (insomnia) around the time of menopause, and women and their healthcare providers sometimes attribute sleep disturbances to menopause. However, there are many reasons for sleep disturbances besides night sweats (simply, hot flashes at night)”.5

The NAMS also explain:

“Your sleep disturbances may be caused by factors that affect many women beginning at midlife, such as sleep-disordered breathing (known as sleep apnea), restless legs syndrome, stress, anxiety, depression, painful chronic illnesses, and even some medications”.6

Insomnia

Is there an association between insomnia and menopause?

In How Can Menopause Affect Sleep: Sleep Problems Associated With Menopause – Insomnia the NSF elaborate on:

“During and after the menopausal transition, people have an increased risk of developing insomnia, a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling and staying asleep. Despite the long-held belief that night sweats lead to insomnia, research suggests that increased wakefulness causes people to notice and feel bothered by hot flashes that they might otherwise sleep through”.7

Sleep Apnea

Is there an association between sleep apnea and menopause?

In How Can Menopause Affect Sleep: Sleep Problems Associated With Menopause – Snoring and Sleep Apnea the NSF note:

“Snoring can also be a symptom of sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that causes breathing to become shallow or to stop altogether for short periods of time. These breathing events can reduce sleep quality, lead to daytime sleepiness, and potentially contribute to long-term physical and mental health problems. Sleep apnea affects about a quarter of people in the years leading up to menopause and more than a third in the years that follow”.8

Restless Legs Syndrome

What is Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)?

In Symptoms & Diagnosis: How Do I Know If I Have RLS? the (United States) Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation elaborate on:

“RLS is perhaps the most common condition you have never heard of, affecting more people than even type 2 diabetes. Up to 7-8% of the population has this neurological condition with 2–3% experiencing severe symptoms that affect their quality of life and require pharmaceutical treatment to manage their symptoms”.9

Where may I find a RLS Symptom Diary?

In Symptoms & Diagnosis: RLS Symptom Diary you may find the RLS Symptom Diary.Sleep

Alcohol

Is there an association between alcohol and insufficient sleep?

In Alcohol and Sleep: How Alcohol Affects Your Sleep Pattern the (United Kingdom) Drinkaware.co.uk note:

“Regular drinking can affect the quality of your sleep making you feel tired and sluggish. This is because drinking disrupts your sleep cycle.

Some people may find alcohol helps them get to sleep initially, but this is outweighed by the negative effect on sleep quality through the night.

The alcohol in your system will mean you spend less time in the important Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep, with the end result that you wake up feeling less refreshed. Even just a couple of drinks will have an effect”.10

Treatments

What are some sleep treatments?

According to the NAMS:

“Any treatment should first focus on improving your sleep routine—use regular hours to sleep each night, avoid getting too warm while sleeping, avoid stimulants such as caffeine and dark chocolate”.11

Concern or Not

Is insufficient sleep a concern?

In Sleep and Sleep Disorders the (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explain:

“A third of US adults report that they usually get less than the recommended amount of sleep. Not getting enough sleep is linked with many chronic diseases and conditions—such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression—that threaten our nation’s health. Not getting enough sleep can lead to motor vehicle crashes and mistakes at work, which cause a lot of injury and disability each year. Getting enough sleep is not a luxury—it is something people need for good health. Sleep disorders can also increase a person’s risk of health problems. However, these disorders can be diagnosed and treated, bringing relief to those who suffer from them”.12

Health Care Provider

What if insufficient sleep is making me tired, irritable or moody?

If insufficient sleep is making you tired, irritable or moody it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. The NAMS encourage us to seek help explaining:

“When lifestyle changes fail to alleviate sleep disturbances, your clinician may want to refer you to a sleep center to rule out sleep-related disorders before initiating prescription treatment. If your sleep disturbance is related solely to hot flashes, hormone therapy may help”.13

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Sleep?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Links

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Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Menopause and Sleep. Updated: 18 January 2024. National Sleep Foundation https://www.sleepfoundation.org/women-sleep/menopause-and-sleep Accessed: 15 March 2024
  2. Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep – How Much Sleep Do We Need? Last Reviewed: 19 July 2023. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/public-education/brain-basics/brain-basics-understanding-sleep Accessed: 15 March 2024
  3. Menopause and Sleep. Updated: 18 January 2024. National Sleep Foundation https://www.sleepfoundation.org/women-sleep/menopause-and-sleep Accessed: 15 March 2024
  4. Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Sleep Disturbance. Last Updated: 19 December 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/managing-your-symptoms#managing-sleep-disturbance Accessed: 15 March 2024
  5. Menopause FAQ: Menopause Symptoms – Q. I’m having trouble sleeping, and I’m tired all the time. Is this because of menopause? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-menopause-symptoms Accessed: 15 March 2024
  6. Menopause FAQ: Menopause Symptoms – Q. I’m having trouble sleeping, and I’m tired all the time. Is this because of menopause? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-menopause-symptoms Accessed: 15 March 2024
  7. Menopause and Sleep: Sleep Problems Associated With Menopause – Insomnia. Updated: 18 January 2024. National Sleep Foundation https://www.sleepfoundation.org/women-sleep/menopause-and-sleep Accessed: 15 March 2024
  8. Menopause and Sleep: Sleep Problems Associated With Menopause – Snoring and Sleep Apnea. Updated: 18 January 2024. National Sleep Foundation https://www.sleepfoundation.org/women-sleep/menopause-and-sleep Accessed: 15 March 2024
  9. Symptoms & Diagnosis: How Do I Know If I Have RLS? Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation https://www.rls.org/understanding-rls/symptoms-diagnosis Accessed: 15 March 2024
  10. Alcohol and Sleep: How Alcohol Affects Your Sleep Pattern. Last Reviewed: 01 November 2022. Drinkaware.co.uk https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/check-the-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/effects-on-the-body/alcohol-and-sleep Accessed: 15 March 2024
  11. Menopause FAQ: Menopause Symptoms – Q. I’m having trouble sleeping, and I’m tired all the time. Is this because of menopause? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-menopause-symptoms Accessed: 15 March 2024
  12. Sleep and Sleep Disorders. Last Reviewed: 07 September 2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/index.html Accessed: 15 March 2024
  13. Menopause FAQ: Menopause Symptoms – Q. I’m having trouble sleeping, and I’m tired all the time. Is this because of menopause? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-menopause-symptoms Accessed: 15 March 2024
Topic Last Updated: 15 March 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 15 March 2024

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