How does menopause affect my sleep?

The unofficial start to middle age kicks off for many women with hot flashes and mood swings. Menopause. 

Poor sleep quality and sleep disturbance are lesser-known changes during this phase of life but they’re very common. In general, women should aim for between seven and eight hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep per night. The rule isn’t hard and fast, though; some people need less sleep and others need more. In general, if you're waking up regularly during the night and feel that your sleep isn't restful, those are signs that maybe you're not getting good sleep.

So how does menopause affect our sleep?

Hot Flashes

Sleeplessness due to menopause is often associated with hot flashes. These unpleasant sensations of extreme heat can come on during the day or at night. Nighttime hot flashes are often paired with unexpected awakenings. There are changes in the brain that lead to the hot flash itself, and those changes — not just the feeling of heat — may also be what triggers the awakening. Even women who don’t report sleep disturbances from hot flashes often say that they just have more trouble sleeping than they did before menopause.

Sleep Apnea

At this stage of life women can also develop sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, which may come from a loss of reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone. These can go undiagnosed because women often attribute symptoms and effects of sleep disorders (like daytime fatigue) to menopause itself. Postmenopausal women are also two to three times more likely to have sleep apnea compared with premenopausal women. Women often have more subtle symptoms of sleep apnea than men and therefore may be less likely to seek help and medical evaluation for sleep apnea. 

If you are a woman going through menopause and are having trouble sleeping, you are not alone. Regularly exercise, a healthy diet and a cool bedroom are some great first steps to helping you sleep better.

Wondering if you could have Sleep Apnea? Take the quiz to find out if you are experiencing symptoms.