Do women need more sleep hours?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, an adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night to feel refreshed.

However, medical and social scientific studies show longer sleep periods for women than for men.

This is a surprising finding, given the social research showing that women have less quality unpaid work and leisure time compared to men.

Restlessness and anxiety

Daniel Pacheco, in his science article on the Sleepfoundation website, says: There are a number of reasons why women need more sleep than men.

They are 40% more likely to have insomnia, and are almost twice as likely to have anxiety and depression than men, two conditions that are closely related.

Insomniacs have difficulty sleeping regularly and are more likely to sleep during the day (Getty Images)

Hormones change

Hormones are another reason women need to sleep more than men.

Our sleep-wake cycles are known to be governed by our hormones.

Women suffer from constant hormonal changes in the month and throughout their lives, which affect their daily activity and this often leads to a greater need for sleep.

During menstruation, a third of women have difficulty sleeping due to cramps, headaches and bloating.

This makes them feel sleepy, tired and exhausted during the day, especially during pregnancy. Women may develop Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), a condition that makes sleeping more difficult.

Also, during pregnancy, women are more likely to experience depression, pain and urinary incontinence that make it difficult to sleep.

These sleep problems can persist into the postpartum period, due to starting care for newborns who do not sleep regularly during the night, and this often leads to more sleepiness during the day.

Added to this is menopause, when up to 85% of women suffer from hot flashes, which when they occur at night, women wake up sweaty, which disrupts their sleep.

what happens?

And research tells us that women need more sleep, and that they tend to sleep a little longer than men, just over 11 minutes.

Unfortunately, women may sleep less well than men, possibly due to differences in how they spend their day.

Researchers have documented differences in the amount of time men and women devote to paid work and unpaid care for family members, for example, and they found that Eve's daughters are more likely to wake up to care for others at home, a task that definitely disrupts their sleep.

Which sleeps faster?

Multiple studies have found that women fall asleep faster than men.

This may indicate that they have a greater need for sleep, as they are simply more tired, on average.

They also spend more time in deep sleep, although this changes in the menopause stage, as women take longer to fall asleep, and spend less time in deep sleep compared to men.

Do you need more sleep?

Regardless of the gender that needs more sleep, the truth is that many women and men do not get enough sleep, regardless of their age.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 64.5% of men and 65.2% of women sleep at least 7 hours a night on a regular basis.

For high school students, especially girls, the numbers are worse, as 71.3% of female students lose the ability to sleep well and regularly, compared to only 66.4% of males.

Feeling refreshed

According to the Pacheco article, the best way to know if you are getting enough sleep is if you feel refreshed upon waking up.

If you are having trouble sleeping, try to get regular exercise because it helps you to sleep deeply. You can also set bedtime and wake up routines, reduce caffeine intake, and improve your sleep environment.

Establishing a bedtime regimen calms your mind and body before bed.