1. Brain Power
The female brain is more complex, more interconnected between the two hemispheres, and is more stressed by women’s multitasking. The result: an increased need for sleep.
2. Hormonal Differences
Menstruation
Prolonged insomnia to chronic insomnia can also be due to menstrual tension and irritability.
Pregnancy
Around 60% of pregnant women have significant sleep disorders—especially in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Motherhood
Mothers are particularly sensitive to nightly noises such as a child crying, so they often wake up when a child stirs.
Menopause
54% of all menopausal women complain of poorer sleep. The decreasing estrogen triggers hot flushes and night sweats.
3. Individual Sleep Profile
A study by the University of Leipzig found that 42% of the women and 29% of the men analyzed suffered from sleep problems. Lack of sleep in women is partly due to the fact that their sleep is lighter and therefore easier to disturb than that of men. Getting back to sleep is more difficult for women than men.
According to a study by the University of Surrey, 18% of women reported difficulty sleeping, compared to only 8% of men.
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Sources:
[1] Hinz, A., Glaesmer, H., Brähler, E., Löffler, M., Engel, C., Enzenbach, C., Hegerl, U., & Sander, C. (2017). Sleep quality in the general population: Psychometric properties of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, derived from a German community sample of 9284 people. Sleep Medicine, 30, 57–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2016.03.008
[2] Sievers, B. (2023). So heilt man heute: Die häufigsten Volkskrankheiten geschlechtsspezifisch besser behandeln. ZS – ein Verlag der Edel Verlagsgruppe.
[3] Tenzer, D. E. (2023, November 27). Brauchen Frauen mehr Schlaf als Männer? Apotheken Umschau. https://www.apotheken-umschau.de/gesund-bleiben/schlaf/brauchen-frauen-mehr-schlaf-als-maenner-1028305.html