Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Association Between Sleep Quality and Cognitive Symptoms in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder
04:33

Association Between Sleep Quality and Cognitive Symptoms in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Published on: April 26, 2024

Sleep Complaints of Postmenopausal Women

Daniel F Kripke1, Robert Brunner, Ruth Freeman

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA.

Clinical Journal of Women'S Health
|April 5, 2011
PubMed

OBJECTIVE: To study correlates of sleep problems in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Baseline questionnaire items related to sleep patterns and problems were administered to 98,705 postmenopausal women as part of the Clinical Trial and the Observational Study of the Women's Health Initiative. RESULTS: Less than 27% of the sample reported sleeping 8 hours or more. Many women reported that at least once a week they awoke several times at night (61%), fell asleep during quiet activities (52%), or reported other symptoms suggestive of insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness. More frequent insomnia problems were reported among women who reported nocturnal sleep longer than the mode of 7 hours, as well as among women who reported very short sleep. Age, ethnicity, hormone replacement therapy, employment, marital status, diet, and season explained remarkably little of the variance in sleep duration or insomnia complaints; however, black women reported sleeping 0.45 hours on average less than whites, with the other minorities being intermediate between these groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that simple abbreviation of sleep and demographic factors may be less important in the sleep complaints of postmenopausal women than other possible factors. Cognitive-behavioral processes, depression, and obesity with apnea may be among the causes.

More Related Videos

Multi-Modal Home Sleep Monitoring in Older Adults07:40

Multi-Modal Home Sleep Monitoring in Older Adults

Published on: January 26, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Menopause01:28

Menopause

Menopause, a natural biological process marking the end of a woman's fertility, typically occurs between the fifth and sixth decade of life. This phase is characterized by the exhaustion of the ovarian follicle pool, leading to less responsive ovaries despite the high levels of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH). The consequential decrease in estrogen production results in symptoms like hot flashes, heavy sweating, headaches, hair loss, muscle pains, vaginal...
Insomnia01:27

Insomnia

Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings during the night, and waking up too early without being able to return to sleep. People with insomnia often experience these disruptions at least three nights a week for at least one month. Chronic insomnia, which lasts for at least three months, can lead to increased anxiety, which in turn can worsen sleep difficulties, creating a cycle of sleeplessness and stress.
Multiple factors contribute...
Management of Insomnia01:19

Management of Insomnia

The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents01:17

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
Bone Disorders01:29

Bone Disorders

Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Disorders of the Female Reproductive System01:24

Disorders of the Female Reproductive System

The female reproductive system can be affected by several disorders, including Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), endometriosis, and various forms of cancer. PMS and PMDD are cyclical conditions that cause physical and emotional distress, with symptoms that include edema, mood swings, and food cravings. PMDD is a more severe form of PMS characterized by increased symptom severity that peaks during the luteal phase and tends to improve or resolve shortly after...