Clinical Management of Menopause-Related Sleep Disturbance

Abstract

Sleep disturbances are common during the menopause transition. Women with vasomotor symptoms may be more at risk for insomnia, particularly if night sweats cause awakenings. Other sleep difficulties, such as difficulty with initiating sleep, and early morning awakening can also occur often in this population. Psychiatric disorders, involving depressive and anxiety symptoms, and medical issues such as obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and incontinence are also common in this population and can contribute to sleep difficulties. Any sleep disturbance, regardless of cause, can lead to daytime fatigue and can negatively impact functioning and quality of life, and therefore, identifying and treating insomnia in menopausal women is essential for their well-being. With many options of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for insomnia, tailoring treatment to a patient’s particular sleep issue and preference is ideal. This chapter focuses on the assessment and treatment of insomnia in menopausal women utilizing typical clinical case examples.