Do Women Need More Sleep Than Men?

Do women need more sleep than men? Yes, according to Dr. Jim Horne, Britain’s leading expert in sleep science. In an article published in the Daily Mail, Horne explained that on average women need twenty more minutes of sleep than men. The researcher pointed out that women tend to multi-task and use more of their actual brain than men leading to a greater need for sleep. Essentially, the more you use your brain during the day, the more it needs to rest while asleep.

While women need more sleep than men, many are not getting the proper amount. There are several factors that may affect women’s quantity and quality of sleep:

• Sleep disturbances during pregnancy due to excess weight and position of the fetus.
• Difficulty sleeping during menopause due to hot flashes.
• Being woken up and moved around on the bed by the partner. (Men tend to be larger than women)
• Worrying about problems and losing sleep as a result.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends combating insomnia by getting regular exercise, setting routine bed and wake times, limiting caffeine and alcohol intake, and improving the sleep environment. If insomnia persists, women can talk to their doctors about sleep to determine other steps they can take to improve their sleep.

Check out the Daily Mail article and browse our Web site to learn more about women and sleep.