According to recent reports, women tend to suffer more from sleep issues and poor sleep quality than men. The reasons for sleep issues are numerous, including hormonal changes or imbalances. So, how does the sleep quality or quantity affect a woman's health? Read on to know all about it.
Sleep is a crucial aspect of health for both men and women. However, women often face unique challenges that can disrupt their sleep, such as hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle, the mental load of being a primary caregiver, and the demands of multitasking. In fact, these factors can often lead to more fatigue than physical labour. This is why ensuring good quality sleep is particularly vital for women.
An average adult needs about 7 hours of undisturbed sleep every night. Women need just a little more. While some reports say a few hours, some say women need about 11 minutes more sleep than men. Reports also show that most women record less than 6 hours of sleep every night, which in turn leads to chronic sleep deprivation.
Some common reasons that affect a woman's sleep are:
Unhealthy sleep patterns and lack of sleep affect women differently and more severely than it affects men. Lack of sleep can affect women in the following ways:
The sleep requirement can vary from person to person. Though the general recommendation is about 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night, some may need more. You may be staying in bed but not getting good quality sleep. Here are some signs of sleep deprivation:
Many women tend to neglect the need for good-quality sleep. If a woman is unable to sleep well despite having the time, wakes up frequently, experiences anxiety, or does not feel rested enough despite sleeping all night, she needs to consult a doctor. She might be suffering from some sleep disorder or other health issues that are affecting her sleep. Ignoring such symptoms can cause serious issues in the long run.
Here are some tips to improve your sleep quality, which can have a great impact on your health:
More research shows how important good-quality sleep is for women. Sleep cannot be considered a waste of time for women who try to juggle too many responsibilities. Do not hesitate to seek help, as it can help you in many ways.
Lack of sufficient or good quality sleep can disrupt a woman's hormonal balance, cause mood swings, weight gain, type 2 diabetes, or even affect her mental health.
Hormones like progesterone, estrogen and testosterone can affect sleep quality and even lead to insomnia. The hormones constantly fluctuate throughout a woman's menstrual cycle and can influence how many hours she sleeps.
Hypertension, type 2 diabetes, insomnia, sleep apnea, mood swings, depression, weight gain, lethargy, inability to focus or remember are some of the side effects of not getting enough sleep.
Lack of sufficient or good quality sleep can disrupt a woman's hormonal balance, cause mood swings, weight gain, type 2 diabetes, or even affect her mental health.
Hormones like progesterone, estrogen and testosterone can affect sleep quality and even lead to insomnia. Hormones constantly fluctuate throughout a woman's menstrual cycle and can affect the number of hours she sleeps.
Hypertension, type 2 diabetes, insomnia, sleep apnea, mood swings, depression, weight gain, lethargy, and inability to focus or remember are some of the side effects of not getting enough sleep.
Recent studies on women’s sleep suggest women need more sleep than men. The caregiving responsibilities, brain functioning, multitasking more than men in general, and hormonal cycles take a heavier toll on women. Hence, they need more sleep to recover and recuperate to function at their fullest potential.
