Menopause causes women to have poor sleep, CDC revealed

More than half of middle-aged women suffer from poor sleep due to menopause, CDC figures show. 

Both the quality and the amount of hours of sleep someone gets each night is a contributor to their health and wellness. 

Fewer than eight hours of sleep can lead to chronic problems such as diabetes and heart disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 56 percent of women going through a hormonal change such as menopause were more likely to sleep fewer than seven hours, and few slept soundly.

Postmenopausal women are also more likely to have trouble falling and staying asleep than women who have not experienced symptoms of menopause yet.

Postmenopausal women are more likely to get fewer than seven hours of sleep and not feel well-rested the next day. A lack of sleep can contribute to chronic problems such as heart disease and diabetes. Researchers said the change in hormones can cause sleep problems

Five tips for how you can get a better night’s sleep 

People aged 18 to 65 should get seven to nine hours of sleep on average per night. 

Here are some tips for helping you get a better night’s sleep. 

1. Say no to technology before bed

The bright light from your phone, TV or laptop screen can impair your body’s ability to get ready for bed. 

Try to avoid these devices 30 minutes to an hour before you are trying to sleep.

2. Avoid caffeine late at night

Some items such as pills or teas can have hidden caffeine in them. Make sure to read the labels so you don’t accidentally ingest caffeine. 

3. Quiet the noise

Noise such as traffic, sirens or even water dripping can distract you when you’re trying to sleep. 

Use a fan or a noise machine if you find yourself distracted at night to help quiet the noise.

4. Rethink drinking alcohol for a ‘nightcap’

A glass of wine or other types of alcohol might give you the initial feeling of drowsiness, but it could also contribute to what keeps you awake.

Once the initial effects wear off, the alcohol will wake you up more often during the night.

5. Workout wisely

The energy from working out can keep you up if it is too close to when you go to sleep. 

Aim to finish your workout three to four hours before you are trying to sleep.  

Researchers from the CDC analyzed women aged 40 to 59 who were premenopausal, perimenopausal and postmenopausal.

Perimenopause means the woman is starting to experience symptoms of menopause such as irregular periods and hot flashes.  

The researchers found that women who were going through menopause where more likely to get fewer than seven hours of sleep than those who were pre- and postmenopausal.

In the study, 56 percent of women who were perimenopausal were unable to get more than seven hours of sleep.

Researchers attribute this to the change in hormones going on in a woman’s body during menopause.  

Menopause is the phase when a woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs and she stops menstruating. 

It occurs most often in women who are aged 45 to 55, but can sometimes start as early as their 30s or as late as their 60s.

The researchers also asked the women in the study how many times a week they had trouble falling or staying asleep. 

They found that the likelihood of either happening for a woman significantly increased if she was going through menopause or was postmenopausal.

The study found that postmenopausal women were nine percent more likely than premenopausal women to have trouble falling asleep.

Postmenopausal women were also 12 percent more likely to have trouble staying asleep during the course of the night. 

The research shows that women not only having trouble getting enough sleep, but their quality of sleep also becomes a problem.

A lack of sleep can lead to health problems such as stroke, high blood pressure, weight gain and poor balance.

Researchers said this study reveals what areas of health need to be improved for women to help them get a good night’s sleep every night.

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