Some Australian researchers have put this myth to bed (pardon the pun) by conducting a study on 7,000 men and women aged between 73 and 78. The research showed that sleep disorders are not a natural part of the ageing process and that problems sleeping could be a sign of an underlying health condition.
Read the article and video at http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/18/3069738.htm and let me know your thoughts.
Women definitely don’t have it easy! PMS, the immense pains associated with child birth, enchanting the days and nights of our families, menopause and the list goes on.
If all this is not enough, menopause may be accompanied by unbearable temperature fluctuations… day and night… Or could it be something else?
In an issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch, February 2008, it was reported that of 102 women with menopause 56% had hot flashes and 53% also experienced sleep troubles. Although the study is very small it reiterates the need to understand if sleep difficulties could not be the origin of hot flashes in some women.
Talking from experience, I also know of men battling with sleep disorders also complaining about hot flashes…
This study can only reiterate the importance of ensuring that we all find the best possible sleep available.
So to the question….could a healthier sleep environment help menopausal women to achieve better sleep? The answer can only be yes!
Until next time
Be wise and have fun
J. Semo
From Ivanhoe Newswire:
It’s not just ageing that causes sleep problems for women, hormones are also partly to blame.
According to research from the Rush University Medical Centre, approximately 16% of postmenopausal women say they have trouble falling asleep. 41% report waking up several times during the night.
The study looked at women from several ethnic groups. Caucasians were more likely to have trouble staying asleep. Hispanic women were least likely to wake up repeatedly. Among Hispanic, Caucasian, African American and Japanese women, Chinese women were more likely to report waking up earlier than planned.
The research revealed that changing hormones were partly to blame. Drops in levels of estradiol, the major form of estrogen, were associated with falling and staying asleep. While women on hormone therapy had less trouble falling asleep and didn’t wake up as often, it did not influence hot flashes, cold and night sweats.
“Although we found some evidence that hormonal therapy could benefit these menopausal sleep related symptoms, this was not a consistent finding across all groups compared,†said Dr. Howard Kravitz, one of the principal investigators. “So the role for this particular treatment needs more study.â€
Women who became menopausal because of surgery and were not on hormone therapy were most likely to have these sleep issues.
Link:
http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=19212
Information provided in this blog is to be used for educational purposes only. It should NOT be used as a substitute for seeking professional diagnosis or treatment of any disorder.