FERNWOOD FITNESS - PULSE eMagazine - Issue#16 - Flipbook - Page 39
not known, researchers
believe it may be linked
to a rapid drop in
oestrogen, triggering
sudden temperature
changes in the body. That
can set off sweating as
the body tries to cool
itself down.
Hot 昀氀ushes can happen
during the day or at
night. Interestingly,
women often report
waking up just before
a hot 昀氀ush, suggesting
there may be an alerting
process in the body that
contributes to both the
awakening and the 昀氀ush.
Does this happen
to everyone?
Not everyone, but it
is common. Before
menopause, around 30
percent of women report
some type of sleep
problem more than three
times a week. During the
menopausal transition,
that prevalence doubles.
And there is a pattern:
women who experience
more severe menopausal
symptoms overall also
tend to report higher
rates of sleep disturbance.
Is it always hormones?
Hormonal shifts do play
a signi昀椀cant role, but
there are usually multiple
contributors. Alongside
changing hormones,
sleep can be affected by:
• General ageing, which
has a strong in昀氀uence
on sleep
• Higher rates of anxiety
and depression during
menopause
• An increase in other
sleep disorders,
including obstructive
sleep apnoea and
restless legs syndrome
Then there is the real
life layer. Many women
are juggling bigger work
responsibilities, caring
for children and or
ageing parents, 昀椀nancial
pressures, relationship
tensions, shifting social
supports, and sometimes
other health issues.
Any one of these can
interfere with sleep, let
alone several at once.
What can help?
A good starting point
is a chat with your GP,
who can help evaluate
what is contributing to
your sleep disruption and
work with you on a sleep
management plan.
That plan may include a
combination of:
• Medication, including
hormone therapy
where appropriate
• Lifestyle and
behavioural strategies
• Referral for assessment
if another sleep
disorder may be
involved
