Studies show that, on average, women need about 11 minutes more sleep per night than men. Although this difference may seem small, it can have significant implications for the general health of women, reports News.ro.
Women experience numerous hormonal changes throughout their lives – from monthly periods to pregnancy and menopause. Each of these stages can disrupt sleep patterns. Also, women are 40% more likely than men to suffer from insomnia.
“When it comes to physiology, women’s hormones play a huge role in sleep,” Dr. Aileen Alexander, an expert in women’s health and sleep, told Glamor magazine.
“In general, this means that women have a greater need for sleep and are more likely to nap during the day,” she says.
Beyond biological factors, societal expectations and responsibilities also contribute to women’s sleep needs.
Research has shown that women often shoulder most of the domestic and caregiving tasks, which leads to increased fatigue and stress, according to the cited source.
“Women are usually the ones who get up at night to support children or, in some cases, elderly parents,” Alexander said. These additional pressures may require more sleep to recover and maintain optimal cognitive function.
However, individual sleep needs may vary from person to person, regardless of gender.
Factors such as age, lifestyle and general health all contribute to a person’s optimal sleep duration.
“While we need more research to understand the gender difference between the sleep requirements and cycles of men and women, the consequences of not getting enough sleep are well documented and can have a huge impact on both men and women,” he said. stated Dr. Alexander.
To get the adequate rest they need, experts recommend that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night.
