The associations of sleep parameters with sexual quality of life among postmenopausal women

Aging and menopause negatively affect women's sexual quality of life, and midlife women often report sleep difficulties. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between sleep quality and sexual quality of life in postmenopausal women.

A total of 303 postmenopausal women attending the Gynecology and Menopause Clinics of a university-affiliated training hospital completed the sexual quality of life questionnaire-female (SQoL-F) and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). SQOL-F and PSQI scores were compared by time since menopause, educational level, and age in decades. Correlations between SQoL-F and PSQI domain scores were analyzed.

One hundred thirteen women (37.3%) had good sexual quality of life (SQoL-F > 84). SQoL-F and PSQI domain scores did not differ by time since menopause. Sexual and relationship satisfaction were higher among women aged 40-49 years, while other SQoL-F domains showed similar scores across age groups. PSQI domains were also comparable between age categories. Demographic characteristics did not differ between women with good versus poor sleep quality. Correlations between SQoL-F and PSQI domains were negligible to low, including total scores. The correlations reported are unadjusted. The Spearman rho values between the four domains of SQoL-F and seven domains of PSQI ranged between -0.181 and 0.033 (95% CI: -0.281 to 0.129), -0.144 and 0.026 (95% CI: -0.256 to 0.173), -0.159 and 0.043 (95% CI: -0.270 to 0.170), -0.087 and 0.009 (95% CI: -0.207 to 0.140), respectively.

Younger and better-educated postmenopausal women showed a better overall sexual quality of life. No meaningful association was found between sleep parameters and sexual outcomes.