Older women often have difficulties sleeping. Doctors tend to blame this common problem on the menopause – and they are wrong.

Sleep problems – which, according to one recent survey, affect nearly half of all American women aged between 55 and 64 – are more to do with stress and other illnesses than any hormonal change.

One of the key problems is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a breathing disorder which doctors mistakenly believe mainly affects men. In fact, apnea is a very common – but unrecognised – problem in women after the menopause, and it’s one that also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Other age-related problems – such as restless legs syndrome, diabetes and arthritis – may also add to a woman’s poor sleep patterns.

Older women may also be juggling home and work problems, which can add to their stress levels and their inability to sleep.

(Source: Journal of the American Medical Association, 2007; 297: 1865-6).