Do women need more sleep?

Do women need more sleep?

Women have busier schedules than men. They will take care of the family, work on their jobs, and prepare dinner in the evening. For them, there are no rest-multitasking leaves women exhausted and weary. We agree everyone deserves a good sleep, but do you think women require to sleep more than men?

According to recent research, women need more sleep than men. Every adult is required to sleep for 6 hours to 8 hours per night. But a woman can sleep longer than that. Unfortunately, the quality of women’s sleep is lower than men’s due to how they spend their day. Women are more likely to wake up and take care of others-it disrupts their sleep. 

Why do women need more sleep?

We cannot deny that males and females have different physical needs. Yet, the study has shown that woman’s brains need more time to recover from their daily routine. When women don,t get enough sleep, they are susceptible to distress or anger. But how much more sleep do women require? As little as twenty minutes can make be significant. The brains of a woman work harder when awake than men.  

Here are some reasons why women need more sleep.

  • They Have Busier Schedules

 A woman has a more busy schedule than a man. Most have a full-time job, some work from home, and still take care of their children. Her mind is always occupied when not sleeping. She is still in charge of making dinner in the evening. When does she rest? She requires more sleep than anyone else. Society expects so much from her-this is draining and harmful to her well-being. 

  • Hormonal Changes

The many hormonal changes that women go through can make them crazy. From puberty, a woman experiences a lot of hormonal changes. What about those pregnancy hormones? They cause fatigue, drowsiness, breathing issues, and frequent urination at night. Menopause hormones cause hot flashes and night sweats. 

  • Sleep disorders

Women’s risk of experiencing insomnia is 40 per cent higher than men’s. To compensate for the sleepless hours, they might need some extra time. With their demanding routine, women don’t get enough time to rest.

  • Obesity

Women struggle to lose weight more than men. Obesity leads to sleep deprivation. If obese women can get more than enough sleep, it will be easier for them to lose weight. Sleeping disorders lead to overweight. 

  • Women are wired Differently

Women’s brains work differently from men’s. They are more analytical and intuitive thinking. Women can multi-task-so their mind keeps on working. It doesn’t stop even when she sleeps. This makes it hard for her to fall asleep. 

Do you feel refreshed and restored when you wake up? If your answer is no, you are not getting enough quality sleep. To have quality sleep, have a consistent sleep schedule (sleeping and waking) up at the same time, get some exercise, and eat a healthy balance. Society has set high expectations for women. And with the modern world, a woman is expected to be stable in all aspects of her life. This is causing sleepless nights for women. As a woman, ensure you get enough sleep to remain productive in today’s busy world. 

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Charity Nyambura is an advocate of women's wellness and a voice for gender equality. She graduated from Egerton University with a Degree in Gender and Development studies.

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