COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SLEEP DISORDER RISK ACROSS REPRODUCTIVE AGING STAGES IN WOMEN

Introduction: To evaluate the risk of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome across reproductive aging stages and assess associations with key menopausal symptoms, age, parity, multimorbidity, anxiety, and depression. Materials and Method: A total of 900 women aged >18 years were included. The risks of sleep disorders were assessed using validated screening tools. Multimorbidity was defined as the presence of two or more chronic conditions based on the Charlson comorbidity index. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to calculate the crude and adjusted odds ratios for each disorder. Results: The prevalence of risk for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, restless legs syndrome, and insomnia was 19.4%, 16.6%, and 21.4%, respectively; 42% of participants were at risk for at least one of these disorders. In adjusted models, the risk of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was associated with older age, night sweats, and depression. Insomnia was predicted by frequent urination, anxiety, depression, and parity ≥3. Restless legs syndrome was associated with urinary incontinence, anxiety, and parity ≥3. Insomnia symptoms were more common in postmenopausal women, whereas daytime symptoms were less frequent. Sleep disorder risk was elevated in the menopausal transition and postmenopausal groups. Conclusion: The risk of sleep disorders is high during menopause and menopausal transition and is likely multifaceted. Multimorbidity, parity, depression, and anxiety can lead to complications. Menopausal symptoms, a common reason for gynecology visits, may be linked to these disorders, offering key opportunities to identify and support at-risk individuals. Keywords: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Menopause; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive; Restless Legs Syndrome; Aging.