[Sleep disturbances in menopausal women. What do they say?: a cross-sectional study]

Few studies have investigated sleep quality in postmenopausal women and the causes that disrupt it. Objectives: Evaluate sleep quality and identify the reasons that interrupt them. To evaluate daytime sleepiness in the postmenopausal period and also to analyze the association of reasons that interrupt sleep with the time elapsed in the postmenopause Methods: Cross-sectional study. N=196 surveys were selected. Quality and reasons for sleep fragmentation were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and sleepiness by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Protocol approved by the Ethics and Research Committee. Results: 46.4% reported poor sleep quality. 65% reported nocturia, 61% having to wake up in the middle of the night and 57% feeling hot. More postmenopausal years were inversely associated with daytime sleepiness, p=0.02. Conclusion: We found poor sleep quality in 46.4% and the reasons frequently cited were nocturia, waking up in the middle of the night or early in the morning, having a feeling of heat and difficulty falling asleep in the first 30 minutes as causes of sleep fragmentation. Greater sleepiness was associated during the first years of postmenopause. The study allowed us to know certain aspects that motivate poor sleep quality, although it is possible to increase the n and plan actions to improve sleep in this menopause.