Why do perimenopausal women have trouble sleeping? Study offers new insight

BOSTON - Scientists have found a clue as to why perimenopausal women have trouble sleeping.

During perimenopause, a woman's ovaries produce less estrogen which can trigger symptoms such as hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, and very commonly, sleep disturbances.  

A new study presented at this year's meeting of the North American Menopause Society tracked the sleep habits and hormone levels of more than 500 perimenopausal women and found that those who reported sleeping between six and nine hours a night showed significantly higher levels of estrogen compared to those who slept fewer hours night.  

They hope their findings will lead to therapies to help perimenopausal women get a good night's rest.  

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Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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