Older women with irregular and poor sleep quality are at a higher risk of depression and anxiety.
A new study published in the journal Menopause shows that older women who have irregular and poor quality sleep have a higher risk of developing mental illness. The researchers examined data from over 1,600 women aged 57 to 85 and found that those who had problems with sleep quality had an increased risk of depression, anxiety and cognitive decline.
This is not the first study to show a link between sleep problems and mental health, but it is one of the first to focus specifically on older women. In addition, the study found that women who had problems with sleep quality also had a higher risk of physical health problems, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The researchers point out that it is important for older women to take their sleep problems seriously and seek help if they have difficulty sleeping regularly or have poor sleep quality. This may mean that you need to change your habits to get better sleep, such as avoiding caffeine and creating a dark and quiet environment for sleeping.
“The study shows the importance of creating good communication between doctors and patients, especially when it comes to older women, in order to identify and treat possible sleep problems early in order to prevent mental and physical ill health,” comments David Grönte, senior physician in psychiatry from Linköping
Source: Sleep timing, sleep regularity, and psychological health in early late life women