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As women transition through menopause, how well they sleep, not just how long they sleep, may influence their predicted risk of heart disease and stroke, a new study suggests. .
The study found that perimenopausal and postmenopausal women who experienced a variety of sleep problems had lower scores than premenopausal women on key measures of cardiovascular health. The study results, presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions meeting in Philadelphia in November, are considered preliminary until the full results are published in a peer-reviewed journal.
“Women who are going through menopause should definitely be aware of their sleep habits and take this seriously,” said study principal investigator Brooke, assistant professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Agarwal said. York City. “They should know that sleep disturbances are common and may need to be discussed with their medical team.”
Previous studies have shown that about half of menopausal women report sleep problems, particularly difficulty staying asleep or waking up too early. The risk of sleep apnea, which can be related to hormonal changes and weight gain, also increases during this time in a woman’s life. The most common type of obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your airways become clogged and your breathing stops and starts again, preventing your body from getting enough oxygen to feel rested. It happens.
Many studies have found an association between sleep deprivation or sleep deprivation and increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Last year, the AHA added sleep time as one of eight important measures of cardiovascular health, recommending that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Other elements of Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) include quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels within normal limits. included.
In a new study, researchers found that, apart from the amount of sleep each night, other aspects of sleep affect cardiovascular health, as measured by how well women adhere to the overall and individual components of LE8. We investigated whether it was associated with health risks.
The analysis included data from 291 premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women ages 45 to 55 who were enrolled in a weight study as part of the AHA’s Research Goes Red, a women’s health registry and research platform. I am.
Half of the women in the study slept less than seven hours a night, 79% reported poor sleep quality, 51% reported insomnia, and 12% said they were night owls. One-third were considered to be at high risk for sleep apnea. Poor sleep quality was more common in women who had started or ended menopause than in women who had not yet entered menopause.
Sleep quality, insomnia, sleep apnea risk, and night owl lifestyle influenced overall cardiovascular health as well as individual components of LE8.
Women with poor sleep quality were three times more likely to have poor overall cardiovascular health scores. Scores also tended to be low for dietary factors.
Women who were night owls and at higher risk for sleep apnea were three times more likely to have poor overall cardiovascular health scores. Higher risk of sleep apnea was also associated with lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight scores. Insomnia was also associated with lower weight scores.
“Women in this age group are vulnerable to both heart health issues and sleep issues,” says Dr. Michael Grandner, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Sleep Health and Research Program at the University of Arizona. . In Tucson.
At this stage in their lives, women often juggle multiple challenges, such as caring for aging parents and teenagers while also being at the top of their careers, so sleep problems are often blamed on stress. “Maybe it’s just an assumption,” Grandner said. We are working on new research.
They may also be experiencing other factors that make it difficult to get enough sleep, such as the early stages of chronic illness, weight gain, and inflammation that come with midlife, he said. But that doesn’t mean sleep deprivation is inevitable.
“Women shouldn’t let anyone tell them it’s just fatigue or that it’s part of being in this age group,” Grandner says. “That’s a sign that there might be something worth fixing. If they’re having trouble sleeping and it’s impacting their day, you shouldn’t just excuse it. It can affect your heart health, and there are solutions out there to reduce those risks. ”
The first step is to see a medical professional or sleep specialist to determine the problem, he said. Many sleep issues can be addressed by improving your sleep habits, such as having enough time to relax at night, creating a dark and conducive environment, reducing stress, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, and increasing light exposure and physical activity. It can be prevented or improved by adopting habits. Set regular bedtimes and wake-up times during the day. For more serious problems, such as insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapy or, if necessary, medication can help.
Sleep apnea can also be treated with healthy lifestyle changes such as weight loss and increased physical activity, as well as the use of breathing machines and mouthpieces.
Agarwal said ignoring sleep issues can seriously impact heart health.
“Menopause is an early opportunity to prevent cardiovascular disease,” she says. “This is a really important time in a woman’s life, and there is a lot that can be done to reduce cardiovascular risk so that women can live longer and healthier lives.”
Editor’s note: This article was revised on December 8, 2023. Dr. Michael Grandner works at the University of Arizona in Tucson, not Phoenix.
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