Research Square · Oct 18, 2026
Sleep quality and associated factors across four reproductive life stages in Japanese women: A cross-sectional study
By Suga A, Moriya H, Kitamura M et al.
Women go through distinct life stages, including pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause, each accompanied by changes in sleep quality; however, no study has performed a comprehensive comparative analysis of sleep quality across these stages in Japanese women. This cross-sectional research examined sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and contributing factors among 1,213 Japanese women across 4 groups: premenopausal nulligravid women (n = 333), pregnant women (n = 245), mothers of infants (n = 338), and perimenopausal women (n = 297). Multiple regression analysis identified being a mother of an infant, body mass index, the Simplified Menopausal Index (SMI), morning fatigue, attribution of sleep problems to busyness, and avoidance of presleep screen use as significant predictors of sleep quality. Group-specific models revealed that the SMI was the only significant predictor in pregnant women, morning fatigue in mothers of infants, and both in perimenopausal women, indicating that sleep-related risk profiles differ across life stages. The poor sleep quality observed among mothers of infants underscores the need for interventions targeting sleep quality. The identification of modifiable factors (e.g., screen avoidance, cognitive reappraisal of busyness) provides concrete targets for public health.