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Causes of Sleep Disorders
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Menopause is quite a tumultuous periodo. When women must balance hormonal changes, physical and emotional upheaval, family, work, and relationships, the importance of a good night´s rest is no joke. Sleep disorders are therefore one of the most insidious menopause symptoms. Learning about the causes of these disorders, both hormonal and psychological, will help understand sleep disorders in a better way.
Read on to learn about the hormonal causes of sleep disorders during menopause, for with understanding comes relief. |
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Hormonal Causes of Sleep
Disorders
The primary reason why a woman may develop sleep disorders during menopause relates to the hormonal fluctuations that are taking place within her body. Declining levels of hormones, specifically of estrogen and progesterone, affect a woman in myriad ways, one being sleep disorders. Although hormonal imbalance is at the root of sleep disorders during menopause, fluctuating hormone levels can create other symptoms, which can also cause sleep disorders.
Lower levels of estrogen are associated with the other menopausal symptoms that may lead to sleep disorders too. Decreased estrogen is linked to hot flashes and night sweats, along with an increased incidence of snoring or disturbances in breathing. |
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Progesterone works to induce sleep, thus with decreased levels in the body a woman is more prone to insomnia.
Estrogen and progesterone´s effects on sleep
As mentioned above, estrogen and progesterone affect sleep, and dropping levels of either hormone can cause sleep disorders. At the right is a chart that shows how these two hormone decrease drastically in a woman´s body in the years leading up to menopause. |
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How a decline in estrogen affects sleep:
- Slows down the intake and secondary production of magnesium, a mineral that helps muscles to relax.
- Linked to hot flashes and night sweats which interrupt sleep cycle.
- Linked to sleep apnea, disturbing breathing during the night.
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How a decline in progesterone affects sleep:
- Progesterone has a sleep-inducing effect. When levels decline, ability to fall asleep soundly does as well.
- Linked to insomnia, and inability to fall asleep promptly.
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These hormonal changes are one significant reason why so many women going through menopause experience sleep disorders. Yet the subject becomes more complicated when taking into consideration other factors that may influence a woman´s ability to sleep. Sleep disorders can also be caused or exacerbated by psychological factors.
Keep reading to learn more about these other potential causes of sleep disorders during menopause.
Psychological Causes of Sleep Disorders
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In addition to the hormonal causes that lead to sleep disorders during menopause, there are also psychological causes that can lead to this menopausal symptom. During the years leading up to menopause, a woman must undergo a great deal of changes involving her body which can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress. Anxiety is linked to an inability to fall asleep, while depression has been known to cause early morning awakening. |
Psychological Disruptions
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Stressful work situations
• Relationship problems
• Financial issues
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The rate of sleep apnea jumps sharply after menopause, affecting 9% of postmenopausal women. |
Problems at work or in interpersonal relationships can add to stress levels, and make it difficult to relax enough to obtain a full night of rest. This can cause insomnia or other sleep disorders. The typical woman oftentimes has an extremely hectic schedule, balancing her family along with multiple jobs, which can lead to little time for sleep. |
Read on to learn about other risk factors that may be involved in the prevalence of sleep disorders among menopausal women.
Other Risk Factors for Sleep Disorders
Some women are more prone to sleep disorders than others. Factors such as race, age, and lifestyle decisions all influence a woman´s likelihood of developing sleep disorders.
Common Risk Factors:
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Age
• Use of caffeine / nicotine
• Use of drugs / alcohol
• Inactivity / lack of exercise
• Working rotating / night shifts
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Studies have shown that Caucasian women are the most likely to have difficulty staying asleep throughout the night, while Hispanic women possess the least difficulty. The incidence of sleep disorders increases with age, with older women having a higher incidence. Other lifestyle choices such as caffeine and alcohol intake, or obesity, also have an impact on the likelihood that a woman will experience sleep disorders. |
Taking these risk factors into consideration, a woman can be aware of what is triggering her sleep disorders and work on managing this symptom. Click on the following link to learn about the different sleep disorders treatments there are.
Return to home page and learn more about the 34 Menopause Symptoms.
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