Does Stopping HT Mean the End of a Good Night's Sleep?

Short-term postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) relieves severe menopausal symptoms, but whether HT affects women's sleep remains unknown. Investigators randomized 1704 women (age range, 45–80) who had been using HT for ≥2 years to continue HT or discontinue use for 1 or 2 months.

Women who discontinued HT reported an average of 1 more day of poor sleep monthly than did ongoing HT users. Women were not asked to rate how bothersome they found changes in their sleep patterns. However, use of sleep aids did not differ significantly among groups.