Hot Flashes Not Always to Blame for Sleep Problems in Menopausal Women,
Reports the Harvard Women's Health Watch
BOSTON, Feb. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hot flashes may be getting an unfair
rap for disrupting women's sleep at midlife.
Studies have often reported that sleep problems increase during the transition
into menopause, reinforcing the idea that hot flashes are to blame. But even
under controlled conditions in sleep laboratories, the connection between hot
flashes and sleep disruption remains unclear, reports the February 2008 issue
of Harvard Women's Health Watch.
A new study concludes that some of the sleep problems that women typically
attribute to hot flashes may instead be caused by primary sleep disorders such
as sleep apnea. The findings suggest that women may not be receiving
appropriate treatment for their sleep difficulties. To determine the cause of
poor sleep during the menopausal transition, researchers assessed the sleep of
102 women who reported having trouble sleeping. The researchers found that 53%
had a primary sleep disorder. Among the entire group, 56% had measurable hot
flashes.
This investigation is the first to examine menopausal sleep complaints using
both objective and subjective measures. The study was small and may not be
representative of all menopausal women with sleep complaints. However, the
finding that half the women had primary sleep disorders, not just hot flashes,
bears further investigation, notes the Harvard Women's Health Watch. Sleep
problems are often assumed to result from hot flashes, but treating hot
flashes isn't likely to resolve a serious underlying sleep disorder.
Also in this issue:
-- The status of statins
-- Exercise and chronic lung disease
-- Medications for burning mouth
-- By the way, doctor: Is earwax buildup harmful? What are these small bumps
on my arms and legs?
Harvard Women's Health Watch is available from Harvard Health Publications,
the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, for $24 per year. Subscribe
at http://www.health.harvard.edu/women or by calling 877-649-9457 (toll-free).
Media: Contact Christine Junge at Christine_Junge@hms.harvard.edu for a
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SOURCE Harvard Women's Health Watch
Christine Junge of Harvard Women's Health Watch, +1-617-432-4717,
Christine_Junge@hms.harvard.edu
