Strength in sleep

At the start of the 20^th century, a woman’s average life expectancy was 49 years. Today, the average age for the menopause is slightly higher at 51; improvements in health and sanitation, research, education, lifestyle choices and medical care have ensured that women now have a life expectancy of 80, meaning over a third of their life extends beyond the menopausal transition where once it often did not.

Despite affecting half of the world’s population, the menopause is wrapped in taboo and has been disproportionately overlooked in health and research, with ageism and sexism contributing to a stigma around this critical turning point in a woman’s life. For dental practitioners, the menopause is important to note – highlighting the relationship between perimenopause and sleep deprivation can not only support patients at risk from oral health complications, but it can also ensure an all-round healthier patient and break the stigma through effective communication.