Why Women Need To Sleep More Than Men

Experts recommend that adults get at least seven hours of shut-eye nightly. But how much sleep do women need vs. men? Does it matter?

The answer is a resounding yes: There are a few important reasons why women may, in general, need more sleep.

“For most adults, the average sleep need is seven to nine hours, but everybody's sleep need is different,” says sleep disorders specialist Michelle Drerup, PsyD, “and when it comes to sleep and your health, every minute counts.”

She helps us dig deeper into why women often need more sleep than men.

Why do women need more sleep than men?

One study shows that, on average, women sleep for 11 minutes more per night than men do — and while that’s a small number that may not apply to everyone, it’s representative of real differences between the sexes and how we sleep.

“Women typically have more issues affecting their sleep, so they may need slightly more of it to make up for disrupted sleep or poor-quality sleep,” Dr. Drerup explains. These issues may include:

• Hormonal changes
• Depression and anxiety
• Sleep disorders

Before we dive into the ways that each of these factors affects sleep, we need to clarify the terms we’re using. None of the available studies differentiate between sex and gender. That means that the studies speak about differences between men and women without acknowledging the nuances of gender or how the data might differ between cisgender, transgender and nonbinary people.

Throughout this story, we’ll use the same language the studies do. But we do it with this caveat: It’s not clear whether their findings only apply to the sex you’re assigned at birth.

1. Fluctuating hormones

Your circadian rhythm — the 24-hour cycle known as your internal clock — can affect your hormones. But it works the other way, too. Changing hormones can affect your sleep cycle and increase your risk of sleep disturbance.

“Women experience hormonal changes monthly with menstrual cycles and with major life stages, like pregnancy, breastfeeding, perimenopause and menopause,” Dr. Drerup shares. “The hormonal changes that occur with menopause are especially damaging to quality sleep.”

Menopause can affect sleep in several ways. You’re more likely to:

• Take longer to fall asleep than you did before menopause.
• Spend less time in deep sleep than you did when you were younger.
• Develop sleep disorders and chronic health conditions, like thyroid disease, that may affect your sleep.

2. Higher rates of depression and anxiety

Mental health and sleep are closely linked, but experts still consider the relationship a “chicken-or-the-egg” scenario, in terms of which comes first. Poor sleep can affect your mental health, but depression also makes you more likely to have trouble sleeping.

“Women are twice as likely as men to have anxiety and depression,” Dr. Drerup says. “And both conditions are associated with insomnia.”

According to the Sleep Foundation, the impact depression can have on sleep is staggering. Of people with depression:

• 80% experience insomnia.
• 20% have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
• 15% have hypersomnia (oversleeping).

It’s not always easy to tell whether you feel sluggish because of a sleep issue or a mental health condition, but getting to the root cause can help you get the most effective treatment.

“If you have the desire to do all the things you love but lack the energy, you may just be tired,” Dr. Drerup says. “When depression is the underlying issue, you’re not just tired. You also lack any interest in doing things you usually enjoy.”

3. An increase in sleep disorders

Whether hormones, mental health or other underlying issues are to blame, one thing is for sure, women are more likely to have sleep disorders, and that likelihood goes up with age.

The risk for some sleep disorders, including restless legs syndrome, is always twice as high for women than for men. Other conditions, such as sleep apnea, become more concerning as you age. Up to 67% of post-menopausal people have OSA.

“Men have significantly higher rates of OSA than women, but after menopause, the risk is the same for both sexes,” Dr. Drerup clarifies. “Women often have less-obvious symptoms, though, like light snoring or morning headaches. The condition affects their ability to sleep well.”

Are you getting enough sleep?

Everyone’s sleep needs differ, so no matter your sex or gender, you may need to experiment to figure out the right amount of sleep for you.

“The best time to judge whether you got enough sleep isn’t typically right after waking,” Dr. Drerup says. “Instead, assess how you feel later in the morning. How is your energy level? Can you stay focused and do everything you need to do?”

Just don’t wait too long into the day to evaluate your energy! She says it’s normal to feel tired in the early afternoon, so to get the best sense of how you’re feeling, check in before lunch.

To get the most out of your sleep, she recommends that you:

• Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can make it challenging to fall and stay asleep.
• Create a sleep-friendly routine and create an environment of darkness, cool temperatures and no electronics.
• Get daily exercise, preferably earlier and outside, because the morning light can help align your body’s internal clock and circadian rhythms.
• Make a sleep schedule and keep within an hour of it, even on weekends.
• Manage your mental health by meditating, journaling or talking to a mental health professional.
• Sneak in a brief power nap of 10 to 20 minutes. Longer naps can make it harder to fall asleep later.

“If you still aren’t sleeping well or feel tired regularly, speak with your primary care physician or a sleep specialist,” Dr. Drerup advises. “Quality sleep is vital to good health, so don’t hesitate to prioritize it.”