Sleep and Women's Mental Health

Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2023 Sep;46(3):527-537. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2023.04.008. Epub 2023 May 27.

Abstract

Women have increased risks for both sleep disturbances and disorders and for mental health issues throughout their lives, starting in adolescence. Women have a higher prevalence of insomnia disorder and restless legs syndrome (RLS) versus men, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is more likely as women age. Hormonal transitions are important to consider in women's sleep. For women, insomnia, OSA, and RLS are predictive of depression, and insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing are predictive of Alzheimer disease. These findings underscore the importance of assessment, treatment, and future research examining sleep and mental health in women, given their unique and increased vulnerability.

Keywords: Alzheimer disease; Depression; Insomnia; Mental health; Obstructive sleep apnea; Restless legs syndrome; Sleep; Women.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health
  • Prevalence
  • Restless Legs Syndrome* / epidemiology
  • Restless Legs Syndrome* / therapy
  • Sleep
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* / complications
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* / epidemiology
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* / therapy
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders* / epidemiology
  • Sleep Wake Disorders* / complications
  • Sleep Wake Disorders* / epidemiology
  • Women's Health