Research shows snoring and sleep disordered breathing become more common as women move through menopause. So why does it happen? And when is snoring more than just snoring?
Today’s Brain Camp has answers.
🎥 Watch below, then read the full story for the research and what women should know.
Want to go down the rabbit hole?
I did. Here’s some of the research behind this Brain Camp:
Snoring and menopause
A population study involving 2,151 women found that snoring increased significantly in women after age 50. After accounting for age, BMI and major health conditions, women reporting menopausal syndrome had 63% higher odds of snoring than women without menopausal syndrome.
Chuang et al., Sleep and Breathing, 2017
Sleep disordered breathing through menopause
Researchers followed 219 women aged 38 to 62 through the menopause transition, conducting 1,667 sleep studies. Compared with premenopause, the apnea hypopnea index was 21% higher in perimenopause and 31% higher in postmenopause. Among women who had entered perimenopause, each additional year into the menopause transition was associated with a 4% higher apnea hypopnea index.
Importantly, researchers adjusted for age, BMI, waist circumference and neck circumference. They concluded that progression through menopause was associated with worsening sleep disordered breathing independently of aging and changes in body size.
Sleep apnea risk in postmenopausal women
Researchers using data from the Nurses’ Health Study and Nurses’ Health Study II followed large cohorts of postmenopausal women and examined menopause characteristics and the development of obstructive sleep apnea. The research adds to evidence that reproductive hormones and the menopause transition may play a role in women’s OSA risk.
Huang et al., American Journal of Epidemiology, 2018
The SWAN Study
The long running Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation says women are at greater risk for sleep apnea once they enter the menopause transition. SWAN specifically recommends telling your healthcare provider if you snore or wake up gasping for air, as these can be symptoms of sleep apnea.
SWAN: Sleep During the Menopausal Transition
The important bit
Snoring does not mean you have sleep apnea. But new or persistent snoring, particularly with gasping, witnessed pauses in breathing, morning headaches, significant daytime sleepiness or consistently unrefreshing sleep, is worth discussing with a healthcare provider.
And no, we shouldn’t assume every sleep problem that appears in our 40s or 50s is simply “menopause.” That is actually one of the cautions raised by the researchers themselves. Treatable sleep disorders can otherwise be missed.
Sources I trust for more information:
The Menopause Society
Menopause Foundation of Canada
SWAN Study
Brain Camp is educational and isn’t a substitute for individual medical advice.
