Posted by Heidi/Mermie Some women report having fatigue, no matter how long they stay in bed. Menstrual symptoms such as bloating, headache, abdominal cramps, food cravings, irritability, and emotional changes all appear to contribute to the inability to get sound sleep. These problems generally disappear a few days after menstruation begins. For women in perimenopause or just prior to menopause, the declining levels of the hormone estradiol may increase your chance of poor sleep. In an intriguing study at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center in Philadelphia published in Obstetrics and Gynecology (September 2001), researchers followed 436 women age 35 to 49 over a two-year period. About 17 percent of the women reported suffering from poor sleep throughout the entire study period. While researchers blamed anxiety, depression, and caffeine consumption as factors that disturbed the women's sleep, they also identified low estradiol levels and hot flashes in older women aged 45 to 49 as responsible for the sleepless nights, even though all women were experiencing regular menstrual cycles and had not yet entered menopause. The study concluded that the decline in estradiol that occurs with ovarian aging might be associated with poor sleep in women. This sleep deprivation results in daytime fatigue and irritability and can even lead to feelings of depression - all symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome, too. These studies can help you see the unique link between hormones, age, poor sleep, and the varied symptoms that can result. Use the information to assess your own bedtime habits and then use the suggestions that follow to resolve your sleep problems associated with FM. Accurate Diagnosis is Essential for Proper Therapy Many of the symptoms that FM patients experience are shared by those with other sleep disorders. For example, some patients with obstructive sleep apnea, intermittent blockages of the upper airway at the back of the tongue, which occurs in 2 percent of women and 4 percent of men who are 30 to 60 years old, also complain of unrefreshing sleep and "hurting all over" upon arising in the morning. They also have a history of snoring and other symptoms, including morning headaches, dry mouth, and an increased tendency to doze off during the day. Some patients with sleep apnea have high blood pressure. If your doctor suspects that your sleep disorder may have a different cause, he or she may recommend that you have a sleep study . Sleep studies, called polysomnography, include an electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures the electrical activity of the brain, as well as the monitoring of oxygen levels, movements of the chest wall and abdomen, and nasal and oral airflow. A sleep study may show apnea (periods without breathing), manifested by absent airflow at nose and mouth in conjunction with ongoing respiratory muscle efforts shown by movement of chest wall and abdomen. An apnea may cause decreases in blood oxygen levels. Sleep is often interrupted at the end of the apnea by awakening. This breaking up of continuous sleep is a major cause of daytime fatigue and sleepiness. Periodic leg movements during sleep, also known as nocturnal myoclonus, may also be associated with alpha intrusions and are a common cause of sleep interruptions. These sleep disorders require specific therapy.wtrresearchteam!M!
on 8/27/2007, 4:34 am
Studies show that women have more awakenings, sleep disturbances, and vivid dreams during the premenstrual time than the rest of the month.
Message Thread:
« Back to thread