Why Women's Sleep Apnoea So Often Goes Unrecognised
Daytime exhaustion, morning headaches, low mood and insomnia — in women, these can be signs of obstructive sleep apnoea, even without the loud snoring people expect.
Sleep disorders are both common and frequently missed in women, in part because the classic picture — a loud-snoring man who stops breathing in the night — does not always fit. Women with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are more likely to present with daytime exhaustion, insomnia, morning headaches, low mood, and brain fog, which are easily attributed to stress or depression. The risk also rises notably around and after menopause.
Because the presentation differs, women are under-screened and under-diagnosed — and the consequences, from persistent fatigue to longer-term cardiovascular strain, are significant. A sleep study, whether at home or in a clinic, can identify the problem, and treatments such as CPAP can be genuinely transformative for energy, mood, and concentration.
Restless legs syndrome is another under-recognised disruptor of sleep — an irresistible urge to move the legs at night, often dismissed as fidgeting. It is frequently linked to low iron stores, so checking ferritin is a simple and worthwhile step.
- 01Waking unrefreshed, with daytime exhaustion or brain fog
- 02Morning headaches, insomnia, or low mood
- 03An urge to move the legs at night that disrupts sleep
- 04Symptoms that began or worsened around menopause
If you sleep through the night but wake exhausted, or your partner notices pauses in your breathing, a sleep assessment is worth requesting. Persistent restless legs warrants an iron check.