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Sleep disturbances can increase the risk of depressive symptoms in midlife women.

About Sleep Disturbances

Sleep disturbances include irregular sleep patterns and poor sleep quality. Maintaining stable sleep-wake rhythms is crucial for mental health. Disruptions in these rhythms are associated with metabolic, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric disorders. Women often experience more sleep issues during menopause, which may contribute to increased depressive symptoms.

Link to Depressive Symptoms in Midlife Women

Recent research published in Scientific Reports explored the relationship between sleep-wake changes and depression among midlife women. The study followed 1,579 women with an average age of 49 over a median of 7 years. Researchers found that significant changes in sleep midpoint increased the risk of developing depressive symptoms.

Study Details

The study used data from a long-term, multi-ethnic study initiated between 1996 and 1997, including 3,302 premenopausal women aged 42 to 52. Participants reported their sleep habits, which were used to calculate the sleep midpoint. Changes in sleep midpoint were categorized as mild, moderate, or severe.

Women were followed nearly yearly to monitor the transition through menopause. Data collected included race/ethnicity, education, physical activity, health status, and various health indicators.

Findings

The results of the study showed that 81.6% of women experienced mild changes in their sleep midpoint, while 12.1% experienced severe changes. During the study, 496 women developed depressive symptoms, translating to an incidence rate of 61 per 1,000 person-years.

Women with severe changes in sleep midpoint had a 51% higher risk of developing depressive symptoms compared to those with mild changes. This association increased to 57% after adjusting for sex hormones and menopausal status.