As women age into their late 40s to early 50s, 40 percent experience sleep complaints. Sleep issues become more common and worsen during perimenopause to postmenopause, with sleep disorders affecting 39 to 47 percent of perimenopausal women and 35 to 60 percent of postmenopausal women. The most common sleep problems reported by women going through menopause include hot flashes, insomnia, sleep-disordered breathing, and other mood and sleep disorders.

• Hot flashes affect 75 to 85 percent of women around menopause. Hot flashes typically occur for around seven years, but can continue for more than ten years. Of women with severe hot flashes, nearly 44 percent meet the clinical criteria for chronic insomnia.

• One in four women experiencing some symptoms of insomnia. The risk of insomnia increases into menopause, with as many as 61 percent of postmenopausal women reporting insomnia symptoms.

• Obstructive sleep apnea occurs in 2 percent of women. Once perimenopause begins, a woman’s risk increases four percent with each year. Recent research suggests lower progesterone levels, like those observed in postmenopausal women, may contribute to the development of sleep apnea.

• Menopausal sleep complaints are often accompanied by depression and anxiety, which can worsen sleep issues. By the same token, a lack of sleep can cause or contribute to anxiety and depression.

Sources: The Sleep Foundation | Wikipedia | National Library of Medicine