Apple Watch sleep data reveals menopause-linked sleep shifts in Harvard study
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed over 94,000 nights of Apple Watch sleep data from 338 Women’s Health Study participants (ages 25–59). The study found increased wake time during sleep around perimenopause/menopause: about 60% showed higher wake-after-sleep-onset (WASO) in the 18 months before menopause with an average 7% rise; in the year before/after the last period, sleep time awake rose about 0.8% after menopause compared with before. Results varied widely between individuals, and common menopause symptoms (hot flashes, irritability, mental fatigue, sexual symptoms) were often linked with poorer sleep. Researchers also offered tips to improve sleep during perimenopause, such as cooling the sleep environment, keeping a regular schedule, regular movement, limiting fluids near bedtime, and practicing relaxation.