The Relationship Between Sleep & Heart Disease in Menopause Patients: Rebecca Thurston

At The North American Menopause Society 27th Annual Meeting (NAMS), Rebecca Thurston, PhD, University of Pittsburgh, discussed her research on the relationship between sleep and cardiovascular disease in menopause patients. Thurston also shared that there are several effective treatments for sleep problems: traditional behavioral interventions like brief behavioral therapy. There are an array of sleep medications, which are good in the short term, but in the long term, we really want to go the behavioral route. Thurston stressed that a class of meds to avoid are benzodiazepine. Don't use Xanax or the like for sleep -- these are not sleep medications. Stick with the BBTI, CBTI, and connect with the sleep center in your area." Thurston concluded that women should seek treatment for their sleep issues, since they have implications for their physical health.