Women are twice as likely to suffer from insomnia as men, mainly due to physical and hormonal changes, anxiety and increased exposure to iron deficiency.
These are some of the latest findings being discussed these days at the XXI Annual Meeting of the Spanish Sleep Society (SEC), held in Burgos.
“Although insomnia is the most common disorder among the general population, it is twice as prevalent in women as in men,” explains Francisco Campos, a member of the SEC.
These differences are further accentuated by age: Insomnia affects approximately 35 percent of premenopausal women, and this number rises to about 50 percent after menopause. During this stage, hormonal changes occur that translate into physical, physiological and psychological alterations.
All this can lead to
Disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea. An added problem is that the diagnosis of these pathologies can sometimes be complicated since “for social reasons, women could be reluctant to report or consult some typical symptoms of certain alterations, such as snoring,” says Campos. However, it is important to see a doctor as the treatment of sleep apnea reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases associated with this type of disorder.
Insomnia in pregnancy
Another period in a woman’s life in which sleep disturbances are accentuated is pregnancy. These changes occur especially from the third trimester of gestation in which physical and hormonal changes are greater, more frequent awakenings and the increase in estrogen reduces the duration of REM sleep. In addition, other symptoms such as snoring or restless legs syndrome may appear, which consists of an uncontrollable urge to move and walk when resting. However, “although it seems that the quality of sleep remains altered in the immediate postpartum period, probably due to hormonal changes and concern for the newborn, the quality of sleep is restored during the year after birth,” said Campos.
Many times, in addition to hormonal changes, the state of the mattress has a direct impact on rest, since firmness can be reduced over time and our body changes over the years, what could be convenient a few years ago can be harmful now.
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Source: Very Interesting
