Sleep disturbances are among the most common complaints of women in midlife. In this evidence-based yet practical session, we’ll explore the basics of sleep physiology and the critical health benefits of restorative sleep. We’ll examine how reproductive hormone fluctuations during perimenopause and menopause uniquely affect sleep regulation and unpack the multifactorial causes of poor sleep during this life stage - ranging from vasomotor symptoms and mood disorders to genitourinary syndrome of menopause and primary sleep disorders like insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. The session will conclude with a practical “Sleeping Well in Menopause Toolkit” that equips attendees with real-world strategies and therapeutic options to support midlife women in reclaiming their sleep.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Describe the basic physiology of sleep, including the roles of circadian rhythm, sleep architecture, and homeostatic sleep drive, and how these processes are influenced by reproductive hormones.
• Recognize the health benefits of adequate sleep and the consequences of chronic sleep disruption on physical, emotional, and cognitive health in midlife women. 
• Explain how hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause affect sleep regulation, including the impact of declining estrogen and progesterone. 
• Identify the common causes of sleep disturbance in perimenopausal and menopausal women, including vasomotor symptoms, mood disorders, genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), and primary sleep disorders such as insomnia, restless legs syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea. 
• Formulate a patient-centered approach to the evaluation and management of sleep complaints in menopause, incorporating behavioral strategies, hormonal and non-hormonal treatments, and appropriate referrals.