Psychological Factors Associated With Sleep Disturbance Among Perimenopausal Women

The complex nature of sleep among perimenopausal women warrants a biopsychosocial conceptualization; however, research on the psychological factors that contribute to the increased prevalence of poor sleep quality during this time is limited. We conducted a survey study of perimenopausal women (N = 168) to investigate the relations among nocturnal hot flashes, mood, dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep (DBAS), and subjective sleep quality. Self-report ratings of depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, hot flashes, and DBAS significantly correlated with poor sleep quality. Ratings on the DBAS Scale-Short Form mediated the relations both between nocturnal hot flashes and sleep quality and between mood and sleep quality. The interplay between physiological and psychological mechanisms among perimenopausal women is highlighted.