Sleep and sleep-related disorders in women.

There are sex differences in sleep from a very early age till adulthood and older age. The changing hormone profile across the reproductive life of a woman, from puberty through the reproductive period to the postmenopausal years, has a significant influence on sleep. Female hormones may lead to sleep disruption however, multiple factors play a role in insomnia during pregnancy as well as during menopause. Some sleep disorders, such as obstructive apnea and restless leg syndrome, are influenced by menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause.