Sleep patterns and stability in perimenopausal women

Women between the ages of 40 and 59 years were classified as pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal, with and without hot flash symptoms, for comparison of somnographic sleep variables. Few differences in sleep variables were noted between the groups. However, peri- and postmenopausal women experiencing hot flashes (symptomatic) tended to have lower sleep efficiencies than those not experiencing hot flashes. As well, rapid-eye-movement (REM) latency was longer (p < 0.05) in the symptomatic women (x̄ = 94.2 min) than in the nonsymptomatic women (x̄ = 71.4 min). Although an age difference existed between the menopausal status groups, it was less than a decade and a main group effect for sleep efficiency and REM latency was seen while controlling for age and/or depression.