Women DO sleep worse than men as study finds their body runs ‘six minutes ahead’
WOMEN really do sleep worse than men, with research showing they're almost 60 per cent more likely to experience insomnia.
They also rated their sleep quality lower than men did, a review of studies published in the last decade found.
The all-female team of researchers from Harvard, Stanford and Southampton University reckoned women's worse sleep quality was because their internal body clock runs about six minutes quicker than men's.
Over time, this means they're "noticeably" out of sync with their environment, wreaking havoc on their internal processes that tell their brain when they should feel sleepy.
“While this [six minute] difference may be small, it is significant," Dr Renske Lok from Stanford University, who led the review, said.
"The misalignment between the central body clock and the sleep/wake cycle is approximately five times larger in women than in men.
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"Imagine if someone's watch was consistently running six minutes faster or slower," Dr Lok explained.
"Over the course of days, weeks, and months, this difference can lead to a noticeable misalignment between the internal clock and external cues, such as light and darkness."
Published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, the paper suggests a person’s biological sex should be considered when treating sleep, circadian rhythm and metabolic disorders.
The 'sleep gap'
The multi-university team of experts examined academic papers published in the last decade that looked into the so-called "sleep gap" between the sexes.
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Many of the studies asked participants to wear actigraphs - wrist-worn devices similar to Apple watches or Fitbits - which monitor heart rate and sleeping patterns.
Across studies, women gave lower ratings to their sleep quality than men.
They also reported more fluctuations in their quality of sleep, often corresponding to changes in their menstrual cycle.
Recent polls actually found that 53 per cent of women get anxious at night-time when on their period, with many waking up during the night due to leaks or discomfort.
Dr Sarah Chellappa from the University of Southampton and senior author of the paper, said: "Lower sleep quality is associated with anxiety and depressive disorders, which are twice as common in women as in men.
“Women are also more likely than men to be diagnosed with insomnia, although the reasons are not entirely clear.
"Recognising and comprehending sex differences in sleep and circadian rhythms is essential for tailoring approaches and treatment strategies for sleep disorders and associated mental health conditions.”
Authors also found that women had a 25 to 50 per cent higher likelihood of developing , restless leg syndrome (RLS) - a condition affecting the nervous system that causes a crawling sensation in your legs and the overwhelming urge to fidget them at night.
Seemingly benign when described, RLS can cause misery and sleepless nights to those who have it.
According to the review, women were also four times as likely to develop sleep-related eating disorder, where people eat repeatedly during the night.
Meanwhile, men were three times more likely to be diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a condition characterised by breathing stopping and starting during sleep.
According to a release by the University of Southampton, OSA manifests differently in women and men, which might explain why men are more likely to be diagnosed with it.
But the sleep disorder is associated with a heightened risk of heart failure in women, but not men.
The team of researchers found that sex differences also extended to circadian rhythms - internal cycles that repeat roughly every 24 hours, which play a role in your feeling awake during the day and sleepy at nighttime.
They found melatonin, a hormone that helps with the timing of circadian rhythms and sleep, is secreted earlier in women than men.
Core body temperature, which is at its highest before sleep and its lowest a few hours before waking, followed a similar pattern, reaching its peak earlier in women than in men.
Disrupted circadian rhythms can impact more than just your sleep, Dr Lok noted.
“Disruptions in circadian rhythms have been linked to various health problems, including sleep disorders, mood disorders and impaired cognitive function.
"Even minor differences in circadian periods can have significant implications for overall health and well-being.”
Many of the studies reviewed failed to assess how biological differences such as the menstrual cycle and menopause affected sleeping patterns, researchers noted.
The NHS recommends that adults should on average get about seven to nine hours of sleep a night.
If you regularly find it hard to go to sleep, wake up during the night, cannot go back to sleep and often feel tired and irritable throughout the day, you might be going through a bout of insomnia.
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Its most common causes are:
- Stress, anxiety or depression
- Noise
- A room that's too hot or cold
- Uncomfortable beds
- Alcohol, caffeine or nicotine
- Jet lag
- Shift work
Tips to fall asleep faster and sleep better
A GOOD night's sleep can boost your mood, reduce stress and help with anxiety.
If you're having some trouble nodding off or sleeping through the night, here are some tips to help you:
- Establish a good sleep routine - set a time to wind down every night and go to sleep at a fixed time, even on weekends
- Build in time to relax before bed - put away your phone and laptop for an hour and try reading, listening to soft music or a podcast or meditating instead
- Write down what's making your anxious or make a to-do list doe the next day to set your worries aside for the night and put your mind at rest
- Create a dark, quiet and cool haven to sleep in
- Don't force it - if you're lying awake, sit in a comfy spot and do something relaxing like reading a book or listening to quiet music
- Eat healthily and exercise regularly to improve your sleep - avoid large meals, caffeine or alcohol before bedtime
Source: NHS Better Health