Have you noticed your sleep patterns differ from your partner's? Well, there could be a reason. Men and women sleep differently, and one sex needs more sleep than the other. As sleep experts, we share how much sleep differs between men and women and the thoughts and disagreements that keep all of us awake.
Women need 11 minutes more sleep each night than their male counterparts or 77 minutes more each week. The amount of sleep varies between individuals, with their day-to-day life, work, and even household responsibilities all affecting their ability to sleep soundly. This could be one reason why women need more sleep than men.
Unfortunately, however, women rate their sleep as of lower quality than men. One study revealed that women reported more fluctuations in overall sleep quality, corresponding to changes in their menstrual cycle.
Women lose more sleep over their lifetime
Many studies have detailed the link between the menstrual cycle and sleep, with ‘period insomnia’ occurring up to a week before menstruation. Another study discovered that women could lose up to 2.5 days of sleep per night each month. This equates to a staggering 1,200 nights of sleep over 40 years, the average amount of time a person menstruates in their lifetime.
Alongside the study revealing women’s sleep quality is rated as lower than men’s, they also discovered that this could be due to the association between anxiety and depression, which are twice as likely to occur in women than men. Similarly, women are also more likely to suffer from insomnia, which can mean women struggle to fall asleep easier than men and are more prone to nighttime awakenings.
However, men and trans men are three times more likely to be diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, as testosterone levels can also trigger sleep issues. Testosterone therapy could even potentially aggravate sleep apnea, leading to impacted sleep quality.
While there are clear differences in overall sleep quality, do we share similarities in the thoughts that keep us up at night? Or do different sexes sleep easier at night?
What keeps men and women up at night?
According to our survey of 1,000 people, 69% of women are kept awake at night due to thoughts or worries impacting their sleep, compared to 62% of men. As identified by earlier studies, women are more prone to insomnia and anxiety disorders, which could contribute to the differences in percentage.
However, what keeps us awake does differ between men and women. Interestingly, our survey of 1,000 reveals societal expectations could be behind the sleep issues some women face, including family responsibilities.
Men: Football
We asked what thoughts or concerns usually occupy your mind before going to sleep, and, for 1 in 8 (12%) men, that is football. Whether that be the latest match, an upcoming match or even certain players, men are losing sleep over football. More men are kept awake over football than they are ‘an argument with their partner’.
Just 7% of men say ‘an argument with their partner’ occupies their mind before going to sleep, compared to 10% of women. On the other hand, women are more likely to be kept awake thinking about an argument with their partner, compared to football.
Men and women: Finances
There are some similarities between men and women, and one in particular is anxiety over finances. According to the survey, 21% of men and 24% of women think about finances before sleeping.
Money anxiety is a common cause of restless sleep, and it can directly impact our mental well-being, which then has a subsequent effect on sleep. However, if finances are troubling you at night, there are ways to help ease the stress before sleep:
- Set a time to look at your bills: Rather than worry about them throughout the night, can you set a time to look at them? Perhaps you do it mid-afternoon or during a break, where you write down what is worrying you.
- From there, you can list your worries in priority order. Is one particular finance worry standing out among the others? Tackle that one first, whether speaking to your partner or contacting a company to discuss payment plans.
- Try and focus on your sleep routine. If you don’t have one, do things before bed that help you relax. For instance, that might be reading a book, drinking a specific type of tea, or watching a favourite TV show. Craft your routine to keep yourself distracted from financial worries.
Women: Family
Digging deeper into the thoughts keeping us awake before we sleep, family and family responsibilities keep both men and women up at night. But only 15% of men say this, compared to 22% of women. This could be because, traditionally, women take on more responsibilities concerning the family, with a survey stating that there is a greater expectation on women to take on family care than men.
Men: Work
Our survey revealed that 17% of men think about work before going to sleep, compared to 15% of women, which could reflect societal expectations. However, when looking into the age groups, we discovered that work issues are more likely to stop millennials from sleeping than any other age group.
Over a quarter (26%) of those aged 35-44 stated that work kept them up at night - just behind finances - along with 22% of those aged 25-34. This is a staggering difference to other age groups, highlighting how many people this age are concerned with their finances and work.
But what should you do if you struggle to sleep?
How to sleep better
1. Establish a routine
As mentioned earlier, establishing a sleep routine as soon as possible can significantly improve your sleep, from fewer nighttime awakenings to quicker sleep. To do this, list things that help you relax and distract you from thoughts impacting your sleep. Once you have that list, start your routine at least one hour before bed. Do this consistently, even on weekends, as your body and brain will soon begin to realise that this is a signal to go to sleep.
2. Set just one alarm and skip the snooze
Opting for the snooze button might seem tempting, but it can leave you feeling more groggy than if you had just woken up the first time. This is because, in those minutes you snooze, your body can begin to fall into a sleep cycle. Disrupting this before it is complete can trigger your ‘fight or flight’ response, leaving you feeling more stressed and anxious and also leaving you experiencing that groggy feeling.
By setting just one alarm, you avoid the temptation to nap.
3. Skip the caffeine or ditch it no later than 3 pm.
Caffeine can disrupt your sleep. But you might not know it can do that even up to six hours before bedtime. With that in mind, try to have your last cup of tea or coffee no later than 3 pm or six hours before your bedtime to avoid any nighttime awakenings.
4. Try sleep affirmations to help you sleep
Sleep affirmations are positive statements you say to yourself before sleeping. They could be as simple as: ‘I am going to have a good sleep tonight’ or ‘I am going to get eight hours of sleep tonight’. Doing this can help remove anxious thoughts as you start to reprogram your brain to think positively about sleep while also stopping your brain from wandering to more negative thoughts that could keep you awake.
5. Above all, have a set bedtime
Consistency is vital for sleep. Depending on your day-to-day responsibilities, stick to a bedtime that works for you and stick to it where possible, even on the weekends. This will help you feel tired at the same time each night and prevent any potential issues from crashing due to exhaustion.
Other factors impacting your sleep include the bed or mattress you sleep on. If that is the case, check out our range of beds that could improve your sleep quality.
