Bertisch SM, et al. - Given that patients with insomnia disorder display the neurocognitive hyperarousal and that nocturnal hot flashes are associated with cardiovascular disease risk, researchers examined cardiovascular responsivity to acute stressors, and also a profile of psychological hyperarousal among women with hot flash-associated insomnia disorder. They assessed cardiovascular autonomic responsivity to acute stress paradigms and psychological hyperarousal in peri and postmenopausal women (25 with and 15 without hot flash-associated insomnia; aged 53.4 ± 4.8 years). Observation revealed no correlation of hot flash-associated insomnia to cardiovascular responsiveness to acute stressors despite it being characterized by psychological hyperarousal before sleep and during the daytime. The results do not support the hypothesis that modified cardiovascular control is a potential mechanism by which insomnia associated with hot flash results in greater danger of cardiovascular disease.