Menopausal Symptom Burden and Self-Reported Poor Sleep Quality Among Japanese Working Women Aged 40 Years and Older: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objectives: Sleep-related complaints are common among women in midlife and may reflect not only insufficient sleep duration but also broader menopausal symptom burden. Although menopausal symptoms and sleep problems are known to be related, less is known about how menopausal symptom domains are associated with self-reported sleep quality among working women, particularly when objective sleep duration is considered. This exploratory cross-sectional study aimed to examine the association between menopausal symptom burden and self-reported poor sleep quality among Japanese working women aged 40 years and older, while accounting for objectively measured sleep duration. Materials and Methods: Participants completed questionnaires on sleep quality and menopausal symptoms and underwent objective sleep monitoring using a wearable electroencephalography device. Self-reported sleep quality was assessed using an item corresponding to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and dichotomized into poor and good sleep quality. Menopausal symptoms were evaluated using the Simplified Menopausal Index, including vasomotor, psychological, and somatic domains, with higher scores indicating greater symptom burden.