Abstract
Objectives: To compare the sleep habits in postmenopausal against younger group of females. Cross sectional study.
Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted in Riphah International University Islamabad from March 2010 to 2011. Sixty females participated in the study, who were divided into two Groups: A comprising 30 young females (n=30) and Group B comprising post-menopausal females (n= 30). Both groups were selected by simple random technique. A questionnaire was designed for assessing their sleep habits and enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay (ELFA) technique was used to analyze serum estrogen levels. Students’ t test was used for quantitative and chi square for qualitative data. A p<0.05 or less was taken as significant.
Results: Serum estrogen levels of postmenopausal females was significantly lower than the young females (p=0.000). Statistically significant difference was noted between the sleep habits of two groups. Postmenopausal females had lesser sleep duration (p=0.011), more frequent nocturnal arousals (p<0.01), had morning awakening habit of rising without alarm (p=0.000) and earlier rising time in the morning (p=0.000), when compared to the young females.
Conclusion: Sleep pattern of females differs after menopause. This sleep pattern could be related to reduced serum estrogen levels observed in post-menopausal women.

Key words: Post menopause, estrogen, sleep pattern