Physiologic Changes in Sleep Across the Female Lifespan

Sleep in women is affected by hormonal status changes across the lifespan. Ovarian hormones, estrogen and progesterone, have both direct and indirect effect on sleep quality and predisposition to sleep disorders in each stage of reproductive aging. However, sleep is also affected by age-related changes, comorbidities, adaptation to sleep loss, and sleep disorders, which are also different between genders. Understanding the unique physiologic changes in each stage of life might help clinician to approach sleep problems in women. Improving sleep quality might help promote women's health in her later life, especially cardiovascular health.