Zimbabwe: Menopause Insomnia or Sleep Apnea? Why So Many Women Get the Wrong Answer
[New Zimbabwe] You are awake at 3am again. Your heart is racing, the sheets are damp, and you already know tomorrow will be a fog. When you mention it, the explanation comes back quickly and from every direction. It is menopause. It is your hormones. It is just this stage of life.
Many women experience sleep difficulties during the years surrounding menopause. However, the explanation is not always menopause itself. Sleep apnea, a condition where soft tissue in the throat relaxes and narrows or closes the airway during sleep, can lead to similar symptoms. Women may experience insomnia, early morning waking, morning headaches, exhaustion, anxiety, low mood, trouble concentrating, night sweats, heart palpitations, and more.
These symptoms can also be attributed to perimenopause, leading to an incorrect diagnosis. Sleep apnea tends to affect women more after menopause due to hormonal changes that reduce protection for airway stability. Untreated sleep apnea can result in various health issues, including high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, insulin resistance, and mood symptoms.
Diagnosis involves a home sleep test, which measures airflow, oxygen levels, and breathing effort while the individual sleeps. Treatment options include CPAP, oral appliances, and addressing nasal obstruction, sleeping position, and body composition. It is essential to consider sleep apnea when evaluating sleep difficulties, as it can significantly impact overall health and well-being.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
