Do Men Need More Sleep Than Women? Exploring the Differences

Do men really need more sleep than women? It’s a fascinating question that science has been trying to answer. Many studies show that women tend to sleep longer than men on average, which is surprising given that women often have more unpaid work and less leisure time. However, the difference in sleep duration between genders is relatively small, at around 11 minutes per night.

While the amount of sleep needed may not differ significantly, research reveals notable differences in sleep processes, difficulties, and behaviours between men and women. Some of these variances stem from biological factors like hormones and circadian rhythms, while others relate to gender roles, expectations, and social norms. We’ll explore the intriguing interplay of gender and sleep, examining topics like REM sleep patterns, sleep fragmentation, and why women may require more sleep than men in certain life stages.

Understanding Sleep Needs

The amount of sleep you need can vary significantly depending on several factors. Let’s explore some of the key elements that influence your sleep requirements:

Factors Affecting Sleep Needs

Age, Health, and Responsibilities

Your age plays a crucial role in determining your sleep needs. As you grow older, your sleep patterns tend to change. Many older adults experience alterations in sleep quality and duration due to changes in their body’s internal clock or circadian rhythms. The production of hormones like melatonin, which promotes sleep, also decreases with age, potentially disrupting sleep cycles.

Additionally, mental and physical health conditions can interfere with sleep quality. Conditions like depression, anxiety, heart disease, diabetes, and chronic pain from arthritis are common culprits. Older adults often have multiple health issues, further increasing the likelihood of sleep disturbances and getting less than six hours of sleep per night.

Your daily responsibilities and lifestyle changes can also impact your sleep needs. Retirement, for instance, may lead to a less structured sleep-wake schedule, while significant life events like loss of independence or social isolation can increase stress and anxiety, affecting sleep.

It’s important to note that while sleep patterns change with age, healthy older adults are less likely to report sleep problems compared to those with medical or psychiatric conditions. The causes of sleep disturbances in older adults are multifactorial, involving various factors like health issues, primary sleep disorders, environmental changes, social engagement, and lifestyle.

In general, experts recommend that adults aim for at least seven hours of sleep per night. Still, individual needs can vary based on age, mental and physical health, and daily responsibilities. Paying attention to your body’s signals and making adjustments to your sleep routine can help ensure you get the rest you need to wake up feeling refreshed.

Do Men Need More Sleep than Women?

Current Research Findings

According to some studies, men may need slightly more sleep than women. A 2008 study found that, on average, men slept around 20 minutes longer per night compared to women. The researchers suggested that this difference could be attributed to men typically having more physically demanding jobs, requiring more time to recover through sleep.

However, other research has not found significant differences in sleep needs between genders. For instance, a study revealed that women had a higher prevalence of all types of sleep disturbances than men. Factors like age, employment status, income, caffeine and sweet consumption, and smoking habits affected sleep quality differently for men and women.

Expert Opinions

While there are some conflicting findings, many sleep experts believe there is no clear evidence that men inherently need more sleep than women. Dr Michael Breus, a renowned sleep specialist, stated, “There’s no clear evidence that men need more sleep than women. It really comes down to individual differences.”

Most experts agree that the optimal amount of sleep for most adults, regardless of gender, is around 7-9 hours per night. However, individual sleep needs can vary based on factors like age, health conditions, lifestyle, and daily responsibilities.

It’s important to note that while the overall sleep duration may not differ significantly between genders, research has identified notable variances in sleep processes, difficulties, and behaviours. Biological factors like hormones, as well as gender roles, expectations, and social norms, can influence sleep patterns and quality for men and women differently.

Hormonal Influence on Sleep

Men’s Hormone Cycles

Testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, exhibits a circadian rhythm, with levels peaking during sleep and reaching their lowest point in the late afternoon. This fluctuation is influenced by the underlying pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) every 90 minutes. The increase in testosterone is sleep-dependent rather than purely circadian, requiring at least 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep with normal sleep architecture.

The rise in testosterone levels begins with the onset of sleep, peaking during the first REM (rapid eye movement) sleep episode in young men. The longer the delay in reaching REM sleep, the slower the increase in testosterone. If normal sleep architecture is disrupted throughout the night, the testosterone surge is prevented.

Interestingly, the increase in sleep-dependent testosterone occurs regardless of whether sleep occurs at night or during the day, as long as the duration is equivalent. However, middle-aged men tend to secrete less testosterone at night compared to younger men.

Both insufficient and excessive testosterone levels can impact sleep quality. In a study of men aged 65 and older, those with lower testosterone had reduced sleep efficiency, more nocturnal awakenings, and less slow-wave sleep (SWS). Conversely, healthy young men with higher endogenous testosterone experienced greater cognitive impairment and increased subjective sleepiness after sleep restriction compared to those with lower testosterone levels. The administration of testosterone or the abuse of anabolic steroids has also been linked to reduced sleep time, insomnia, and increased awakenings.

Women’s Hormone Cycles

The menstrual cycle in women is characterized by cyclic changes in the production of hormones like estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, and growth hormone. These reproductive hormones not only regulate reproductive functions but also influence sleep and circadian rhythms.

During the late luteal phase, when progesterone and estrogen levels decline, women commonly experience negative menstrual symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). These conditions are characterized by emotional, behavioural, and physical symptoms that resolve with the onset of menstruation.

Women with PMS/PMDD often report sleep-related complaints such as insomnia, frequent awakenings, non-restorative sleep, unpleasant dreams or nightmares, and poor sleep quality during the premenstrual week and the first few days of menstruation. They may also experience daytime disturbances like sleepiness, fatigue, decreased alertness, and difficulty concentrating.

Studies have shown that women with severe premenstrual syndrome experience significant declines in sleep quality during the late luteal phase compared to the early follicular phase of their cycle. Actigraphic sleep data from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nations (SWAN) revealed that sleep efficiency declines across the menstrual cycle in later reproductive-age women, with the most pronounced decline in the last week. Additionally, a steeper rise in progesterone levels from the follicular phase to the mid-luteal phase was associated with increased wake after sleep onset and sleep fragmentation during the late luteal phase.

The fluctuations in hormones like estrogen and progesterone throughout the menstrual cycle orchestrate a delicate interplay within the female body, impacting various physiological processes, including sleep patterns. These hormonal shifts highlight the intricate link between the menstrual cycle and sleep quality, underscoring the need for tailored strategies to address these fluctuations.

Sleeping Patterns and Behaviours

Men’s Sleeping Patterns

Studies have shown that biological sex influences sleep architecture—the way a person cycles through the four stages of sleep. The first three stages progress from light sleep to deep sleep, while dreaming typically occurs during the fourth stage, known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Healthy sleep involves cycling through all sleep stages several times a night, but research reveals that males and females experience these cycles differently.

Some key differences in men’s sleeping patterns include:

• Sleep Latency: Males are generally able to fall asleep more quickly than females.
• Sleep Stages 1 and 2: Males spend more time in the first two stages of light sleep compared to females.
• Deep Sleep: As males age, they tend to spend less time in deep sleep.
• REM Sleep: The duration of REM sleep tends to be longer in males. However, older females may get more REM sleep than older males.

Circadian rhythms, the natural patterns that occur in the body over 24 hours, also vary between males and females, governing the sleep-wake cycle. Typically, males are more likely to be “night owls” with a preference for staying up late, while females generally experience the urge to sleep earlier. Additionally, females tend to experience more robust influxes of the sleep hormone melatonin than males.

Research indicates that sex-based differences in circadian rhythms make females more sensitive to the effects of staying awake for a long time. Therefore, shift work or lifestyles that prevent a regular sleep schedule may be particularly risky for women.

Women’s Sleeping Patterns

Women are more likely to suffer from insomnia and report lower sleep quality compared to men. The review found that women are more prone than men to lower sleep quality, which is associated with anxiety and depressive disorders. Interestingly, while the quality of women’s sleep in terms of deep sleep and time spent sleeping, as measured by brain activity, is generally good, women tend to complain more about insomnia than men. This discrepancy may be due to women being more open about the psychological consequences and acknowledging poor sleep quality, whereas men are more inclined to keep such issues to themselves.

Sleep disorders like insomnia in women may also be linked to their circadian rhythm, which tends to run faster and begin earlier in the day than men’s. A woman’s circadian cycle is approximately 24.09 hours, plus or minus 0.2 hours, while a man’s cycle is 24.19 hours, plus or minus 0.2 hours. This earlier cycle for women corresponds with an earlier timing in the secretion of melatonin and cortisol, hormones that regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

On the other hand, men are three times more likely to develop sleep apnea due to the way their upper airway is constructed, making them more susceptible to health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Additionally, men tend to overeat more than women when they are sleep-deprived. Among shift workers, who are considered sleep deprived due to their unusual schedules and misalignment with their natural circadian rhythm, both men and women have a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes. Still, the risk is much higher in men.

Tips for Better Sleep

For Men

Most men will sleep much better if they develop habits of good sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene consists of basic tips that help you develop a pattern of healthy sleep.

Men sometimes see sleeping pills as the answer to their sleep problems. However, these drugs should not be seen as a long-term solution for better sleep. Doctors rarely prescribe them for more than a few weeks at a time. You should not depend upon drugs to help you sleep on a regular basis, and you should not take sleep aids without first consulting with your healthcare provider. Talk to them about other options that will help improve your sleep.

If you have trouble sleeping for more than a month, talk to your healthcare provider about it. Don’t think that it will just go away over time. They may encourage you to visit a sleep specialist to find the source of your sleeping difficulty. Before going to see a specialist, complete a daily sleep diary for two weeks. The sleep diary will help the doctor see your sleeping patterns and give them clues about what is hindering your sleep and how to help you.

For Women

If you’re a woman, practising healthy sleep habits may be essential for you. Generally, women need more sleep than men do, and women often have more trouble getting the sleep they need. Women are about 40% more likely to experience insomnia compared to men. Even women who don’t have insomnia may struggle to fall or stay asleep and may feel more tired throughout the day. Practising healthy sleep habits can help women get the sleep they need to be healthy and stay alert during the day.

Studies have found that women are more sensitive to noise during sleep. If you find yourself waking up during the night, consider that sounds may be a culprit. Wearing earplugs can block out potentially disruptive noise. Keeping a white noise machine in the bedroom may also help, as its sound can be soothing and muffle noises that may arise at night.

Women are more likely to experience hot flashes during sleep, called night sweats, during menopause or perimenopause, which are the years leading up to menopause. Night sweats can disrupt sleep, but keeping bedroom temperatures cool may help.

Hormonal shifts can trigger sleep issues for women for many reasons beyond changes in body temperature. Being extra careful to practice healthy sleep habits during these times may help. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day, trying relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing, wearing an eye mask to sleep, and avoiding late afternoon naps can promote improved sleep.

Research on women, in particular, has found that those who are more sedentary tend to experience more insomnia, and those who are more active tend to sleep better. High-intensity aerobic exercise may improve women’s sleep more than low-intensity exercise. However, it’s best not to exercise in the late afternoon or evening. Also, those in menopause may want to pay close attention to how their body reacts to exercise, as some experts think that some menopausal women who have hot flashes might not have their symptoms relieved by exercise since it can increase body temperature.

General Tips

• According to the Sleep Council’s latest Great British Bedtime Report, 30% of people sleep poorly most nights, with reasons such as stress, worry, noise, an uncomfortable bed, and “partner disturbances” being given for bad bedtimes.
• If you’re not getting enough sleep, it’s time to wake up to the dangers. Not only is quality shuteye vital for turning your time in the gym into gains, but getting your eight hours reduces the risk of issues like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease, along with a host of other issues.
• Masquerading as chronic snoring and sleep apnea are no jokes. That loud snort that wakes you up in the night is caused by a partial obstruction or collapse of your airways, cutting off your oxygen supply. Not only do the nightly interruptions make you nod off during the day, but sleep apnea has also been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes. Men are more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea than women.
• As for the more general, cover-all term sleep deprivation, burning the candle at both ends is the main reason why people are sleep deprived, says Dr Irshaad Ebrahim, consultant neuropsychiatrist at the London Sleep Centre. Your philosophy of “work hard and play harder” has barred the gates to the land of nod. “The biggest issue here is the drive to perform both occupationally and socially, and those are highly pressured entities,” says Ebrahim. “Sleep is the easiest thing to sacrifice.”
• Not getting enough shuteye leads to an “increased risk of developing depression and anxiety, performance issues at work, and impacts the immune system,” says Ebrahim. It’s worse news if you are getting to sleep but are still tired during the day. “You need to be investigated by a sleep specialist for the presence of an underlying sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea.”
• The good news is that for most of us, the answer lies in lifestyle changes, not therapy. UC San Francisco sleep expert Cheri Mah, who consults with the Golden State Warriors basketball team and other elite athletes, has written six tips to sleep like an elite athlete. Follow her advice, and you’ll be in the land of nod in no time:

1. Sleep at least seven hours a night. Elite athletes should get even more.
2. Maintain a regular bedtime and wake-up time.
3. Implement a wind-down routine. A 20-to-30-minute wind-down helps you transition to sleep.
4. Evaluate your sleep environment. You want it to be really dark, quiet, cool, and comfortable.
5. Reduce your intake of alcohol and caffeine.
6. Take power naps. Mah recommends taking 20-to-30-minute naps. If you take longer naps – 45 minutes or more – you can go into deeper stages of sleep, and when you wake up, you may experience sleep inertia, where you feel more sluggish and worn down.

• Having the best mattress for your needs and preferences is vital to making sure that you are comfortable enough to relax. Investing in a supportive mattress and pillow helps ensure that your spine gets proper support to avoid aches and pains.
• Your sheets and blankets play a major role in helping your bed feel inviting. Look for bedding that feels comfortable to the touch and that will help maintain a comfortable temperature during the night.
• Excess light exposure can throw off your sleep and circadian rhythm. Blackout curtains over your windows or a sleep mask over your eyes can block light and prevent it from interfering with your rest. Avoiding bright light can help you transition to bedtime and contribute to your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep.
• Keeping noise to a minimum is an important part of building a sleep-friendly bedroom. If you cannot eliminate nearby sources of noise, consider drowning them out with a fan or white noise machine. Earplugs or headphones are another option to stop sounds from bothering you when you want to sleep.
• You do not want your bedroom temperature to be a distraction by feeling too hot or too cold. The ideal temperature can vary based on the individual, but most research supports sleeping in a cooler room that is around 65 to 68 degrees.
• If you want to make sure that you’re getting the recommended amount of sleep each night, then you need to build that time into your schedule. Considering your fixed wake-up time, work backwards and identify a target bedtime that allows for at least seven hours of sleep. Whenever possible, give yourself extra time before bed to get ready for sleep.
• It is close to impossible for your body to get accustomed to a healthy sleep routine if you are constantly waking up at different times. Pick a wake-up time and stick with it, even on weekends or other days when you would otherwise be tempted to sleep in.

• To sleep better at night, it is important to use caution with naps. If you nap for too long or too late in the day, it can throw off your sleep schedule and make it harder to get to sleep when you want to. The best time to nap is shortly after lunch in the early afternoon, and the best nap length is around 20 minutes.
• It is much easier to fall asleep if you are at ease. Quiet reading, low-impact stretching, listening to soothing music, and relaxation exercises are examples of ways to get into the right frame of mind for sleep. Focus on trying to relax instead of trying to fall asleep. Controlled breathing, mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery are examples of relaxation methods that can help ease you into sleep.
• Tablets, smartphones, and laptops can keep your brain wired, making it hard to wind down truly. The light from these electronic devices can also suppress your natural production of melatonin. As much as possible, try to disconnect for an hour or more before going to bed.
• The body’s internal clock is regulated by light exposure. Sunlight has a strong effect, so try to take in daylight by getting outside or opening up windows or blinds to natural light. Getting a dose of natural light early in the day can help normalize your circadian rhythm. If natural light is not an option, you can talk with your doctor about using a light therapy box.
• Daily exercise has many health benefits, and the changes it initiates in energy use and body temperature can promote solid sleep. Most experts advise against intense exercise close to bedtime because it may hinder your body’s ability to settle down before sleep effectively.
• Caffeinated drinks, including coffee, tea, and sodas, are among the most popular beverages in the world. Some people are tempted to use the jolt of energy from caffeine to try to overcome daytime sleepiness, but that approach is not sustainable and can cause long-term sleep deprivation. To avoid this, keep an eye on your caffeine intake and avoid it later in the day when it can be a barrier to falling asleep.
• Alcohol can induce drowsiness, so some people are keen on a nightcap before bed. Unfortunately, alcohol affects the brain in ways that can lower sleep quality, making it best to avoid alcohol in the lead-up to bedtime.
• It can be harder to fall asleep if your body is still digesting a big dinner. To keep food-based sleep disruptions to a minimum, try to avoid late dinners and minimize fatty or spicy foods especially. If you need an evening snack, opt for something light.
• Exposure to smoke, including secondhand smoke, has been associated with a range of sleeping problems, including difficulty falling asleep and fragmented sleep. Nicotine is a stimulant, and evening nicotine use, in particular, has been found to disrupt sleep.
• If you have a comfortable bed, you may be tempted to spend your leisure time in it, but this can actually cause problems at bedtime. You want a strong mental association between your bed and sleep, so try to keep activities in your bed limited strictly to sleep and sex.
• You want to avoid a connection in your mind between your bed and frustration from sleeplessness. This means that if you have spent around 20 minutes in bed without being able to fall asleep, it is best to get out of bed and do something relaxing in low light. Avoid checking the time or using electronics, and return to bed once you feel tired.
• A daily sleep journal can help you keep track of how well you are sleeping and identify factors that might be helping or hurting your sleep. If you are testing out a new sleep schedule or other sleep hygiene changes, your sleep diary can help document how well it is working.
• In addition to improving overall sleep hygiene, you may want to discuss the use of supplements with your doctor. Melatonin supplements are commonly used to shorten the time it takes to fall asleep. Other natural sleep aids include valerian, chamomile, and glycine. Since dietary supplements are not closely regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, it is important to take steps to ensure you are purchasing reputable sleep supplements.
• Your doctor is in the best position to offer detailed and personalized advice if you experience serious difficulties sleeping. Talk with your doctor if you find that your sleep problems are worsening, persisting over the long term, affecting your health and safety, or if they occur alongside other unexplained health problems. They can provide additional guidance and treat any underlying conditions.

Conclusion

Sleep is an essential part of our daily lives, and researchers have studied whether men and women have different sleep needs. While some studies suggest that men may require slightly more sleep, most experts believe there is no significant difference in the overall sleep duration required by men and women. However, there are notable variations in their sleep patterns, difficulties, and behaviours due to biological factors like hormones and social norms.

To get better sleep, it’s crucial to develop good sleep habits, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, creating a relaxing bedtime routine, and ensuring a comfortable sleep environment. Additionally, limiting caffeine and alcohol intake, exercising regularly, and managing stress can improve sleep quality for both men and women. If sleep problems persist, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare professional for personalized guidance and treatment, if necessary.

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