The Correlation of Perceived Stress and Insomnia Severity in Postmenopausal Women

Postmenopausal women experience tremendous changes that are not only hormonal, but also social and emotional, which reduce their quality of life. Limited research has been focused on perceived stress and the influential factors in women during menstruation.

The present study aimed to assess the correlation between perceived stress and insomnia severity in postmenopausal women.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 190 postmenopausal women referring to the healthcare centers in Kermanshah, Iran in 2019. Data were collected using the individual and sociodemographic questionnaire, perceived stress scale, and insomnia severity index. Data analysis was performed in SPSS using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation-coefficient to evaluate the correlation between perceived stress and insomnia severity.

The total mean score of perceived stress was 33.9 ± 13.8 (score range: 7 - 54), and the total mean score of insomnia was 15.1 ± 4.8 (score range: 6 - 28). The comparison of the total mean score of perceived stress showed a significant difference at various severities of insomnia (F [3, 186] = 12.31; P < 0.0001). According to the post-hoc results, the women with severe insomnia obtained the highest mean score of perceived stress compared to those with normal, mild, and moderate insomnia. Furthermore, the Pearson’s correlation-coefficient was indicative of a significant association between insomnia severity and the total score of perceived stress (r = 0.417; P < 0.0001). In other words, the women with higher scores of insomnia severity achieved higher scores of perceived stress comparatively.

Insomnia and perceived stress are common and correlated in postmenopausal women. Therefore, the identification and treatment of postmenopausal women with stress and sleep disorders could remarkably improve their quality of life.