Do women need more sleep than men? (2024)

FAQs

Do women need more sleep than men? ›

Because they use more of their actual brain, they may need a little bit more sleep than men. It is still debatable, but some experts say that women need twenty more minutes on average than men usually need.”

Women need on average 11 additional minutes of sleep each night. Studies have shown women fall asleep faster and spend more time in deep sleep, suggesting a greater need for sleep. Insomnia, depression, and hormone changes are common sleep disruptors for women.

For optimum health and function, the average adult should get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. But more than 60% of women regularly fall short of that goal. This may be due to insomnia or another underlying condition that may require medical attention.

Female sex hormones have been long thought to play a role in sleep and sleep deprivation, as women are twice as likely as men to experience sleep disruptions, especially around puberty, menarche and menopause.

Women and men sleep differently, so their sleep disorders shouldn't be treated the same way, suggests new research that explores the biological sex characteristics of getting shut-eye. Men are more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea, while women are more likely to experience insomnia and report lower sleep quality.

Men need 7-8 hours of sleep where women need 8-10 hours which leads to different circadian rhythms. The sleep cycles are similar, but cortisol goes down and melatonin goes up sooner in women than men.”

Women are more prone to mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, leaving them more vulnerable to sleep problems. That's because many of the same chemicals in the brain that can be disrupted in mood disorders are also involved in regulating sleep.

Experts recommend that adults sleep between 7 and 9 hours a night. Adults who sleep less than 7 hours a night may have more health issues than those who sleep 7 or more hours a night.

Most adults need 7 to 9 hours, although some people may need as few as 6 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each day. Older adults (ages 65 and older) need 7-8 hours of sleep each day. Women in the first 3 months of pregnancy often need several more hours of sleep than usual.

Hours of Sleep for Young Women

Studies have shown that on average, adult women need 20 minutes more sleep per night than men. The recommended amount of sleep for adults from 18-25 is 7-9 hours a night. The extra 20 minutes will put women at the higher end of this range.

What happens when a woman doesn't get enough sleep? ›

New research shows that when women lose sleep they're at higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, and depression.

Some of the most serious potential problems associated with chronic sleep deprivation are high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure or stroke. Other potential problems include obesity, depression, reduced immune system function and lower sex drive.

It's true our lives are busy, but that isn't the only reason many women have trouble sleeping. Normal hormone and body changes throughout the stages of life – from the teen years to pregnancy, menopause, and beyond – can disrupt sleep, even if we don't realize what's causing it.

Do Women Actually Sleep More Than Men? While research shows that women need more sleep than men, it is also the case that women tend to sleep slightly longer than men — by just over 11 minutes.

Older age death rates tend to be higher among men than women

These differences are partly due to gender differences in health behaviors, such as smoking, alcohol, and drug use, and occupational risks which tend to be more common in men and have growing consequences with age.

This need varies from one person to another. On average, most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well rested. Many men do not get this much sleep on a regular basis. As a result, they are not able to function at a maximum level of energy and concentration.