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I Thought Perimenopause Was Making Me Exhausted. It Was Sleep Apnea.
Business Insider • • health
Key Points:
- A 48-year-old woman experienced severe, unexplained fatigue for years despite getting eight hours of sleep nightly and maintaining a healthy weight, initially attributing her exhaustion to perimenopause and life stress.
- After trying hormone treatments, energy-boosting medications, and lifestyle changes without improvement, her general practitioner recommended a sleep study to rule out sleep disorders.
- The sleep study revealed she had severe sleep apnea, a diagnosis that reframed her chronic fatigue as a medical condition rather than a lifestyle or hormonal issue.
- She began treatment with a CPAP machine and, while still adjusting, feels hopeful about the potential health benefits and improved energy over time.
- The diagnosis also highlighted the importance of addressing sleep apnea to reduce long-term cardiovascular risks, providing her with a clearer path forward after years of uncertainty.
