Morning tiredness and insomnia symptoms are associated with increased blood pressure in midlife women

Abstract

<p>Objectives</p><p>The objective of this study was to investigate how blood pressure, sleep architecture, sleep-disordered breathing, body habitus, and levels of serum follicle-stimulating hormone are associated with symptoms of insomnia and sleep quality during menopausal transition.</p><p>Methods</p><p>64 healthy premenopausal women (aged 45–47 years) were recruited to the study. Data were collected at baseline and at 10-year follow-up during sleep laboratory and laboratory visits. A sleep questionnaire was used to evaluate sleep quality and insomnia symptoms. Data were analysed using multiple linear and logistic regression with a backward method.</p><p>Results</p><p>During the menopausal transition, a change in insomnia symptoms was associated with a change in morning systolic blood pressure (β = 0.114 (CI95% 0.023–0.205), p = 0.016). At follow-up, at the age of 56, a higher percentage of REM sleep was associated with a lower odds of restless sleep (OR = 0.842 (95 % CI 0.742–0.954), p = 0.007), while both higher systolic and diastolic evening blood pressure was associated with an increased odds of morning tiredness.</p><p>OR = 1.047 (95 % CI 1.003–1.092), p = 0.034 and OR = 1.126 (95 % CI 1.018–1.245), p = 0.007, respectively.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>In healthy midlife women, a change blood pressure is related to the development of insomnia symptoms during menopausal transition. In postmenopausal women, a high evening blood pressure may be associated with morning tiredness and a reduced amount of REM sleep may be perceived as restless sleep.</p>