It is not only age and general personal and professional circumstances that have an influence on sleep, but also gender. And we are not referring to the changes in sleep behaviour as a result of the menopause, as we have already dealt with this in the article Sleep disorders during the menopause. In this article, we would rather look at women’s sleep behaviour in general and therefore ask ourselves: How well do women sleep?
Women and sleep – under the influence of hormones
The fact is that women are subject to strong hormonal fluctuations every month, regardless of the menopause, and sleep behaviour can sometimes change within the cycle. Whilst women are still full of energy and productive before and during ovulation, this diminishes with the luteal phase and subsequent menstruation. Women then suffer not only from possible mood swings, but also from sleep disorders and an increased need for sleep. Hot flushes are not only a common side effect of the menopause, but also of the monthly cycle and can become a sleep robber.
Anyone who frequently suffers from night sweats should consider purchasing bedding that is particularly moisture-regulating. Our range includes anti-sweat duvets and anti-sweat pillows.
Sleep during pregnancy and after the birth
However, it is not only the monthly cycle that has an influence on a woman’s sleep behaviour, pregnancy can also affect night-time sleep and the ever-growing belly in particular can often turn a good night’s sleep into a very restless and uncomfortable experience. The postnatal period brings further challenges that can limit a mother’s sleep immensely. It is said that it takes around six years from birth for parents’ sleep quality to return to pre-baby levels. As mothers are usually the main point of contact for newborns – but also for older children – they are particularly challenged not only during the day, but also at night, which can repeatedly interrupt sleep.
Multitasking makes women tired
Work, family, household … women take care of many different things and many of them at the same time. They are masters at multitasking. But it is precisely this ability that often impairs sleep. The female brain is networked differently to that of men. It works and processes more actively and effectively and has to react quickly and appropriately to changing situations.
Women’s required sleep duration
This immense flexibility and intensive stimulation from external and internal influences is very exhausting for the brain, which is why women generally need more sleep than men, as not only their bodies but also their brains in particular need more regeneration. Due to individual differences and the amount of mental and physical challenges, which can be more on one day and less on another, the amount of sleep required by women is on average between ten minutes and around an hour longer in order for women to achieve the same level of physical and mental recovery as their male counterparts.
Sleep quality versus need for sleep
Unfortunately, this increased need for more sleep is offset by the often poor quality of women’s sleep. This is because the high psychological and physical demands that women are confronted with at work and in everyday life – pressure to perform and meet deadlines, hectic pace, stress, worries and hardships, but also the joy of beautiful experiences or upcoming events – cause the carousel of thoughts to spin much more frequently in women than in men before they fall asleep.
However, this is only one of the reasons why women suffer more frequently from difficulties falling asleep and staying asleep. In addition, women’s sleep tends to be lighter in nature – which makes perfect sense in evolutionary terms, as they had to look after other members of their family, especially children, in the past. This is the reason why even quiet noises are often enough to wake women up several times and make it harder for them to sleep through the night. This is why, on average, women sleep better, longer and more restfully on their own than when they are in bed with their partner.
Women and sleep – not a simple matter
To summarise, it can be said that women’s sleep is influenced by many different factors, as a result of which they need more rest and sleep than they actually get. When private and professional demands become too much and performance also suffers due to difficulties falling asleep and staying asleep, lack of sleep and poor sleep quality, we recommend ensuring good sleep hygiene and more relaxation before going to bed.
Good sleep with billerbeck
Customised bedding can also have a positive effect on sleep. For example, a soft topper can improve lying comfort, while neck support pillows prevent tension in the shoulder and back area. Many women tend to feel cold at night and have cold feet. Our billerbeck range includes numerous duvets with a wide variety of filling materials, such as our down duvets in the warmth levels Summer Light, Light, Medium, Warm, Warm +, Warm ++, Warm +++ and 4 Seasons, which allow you to find the right duvet for your individual warmth level. Our SLEEPIES® sleeping shoes are the perfect remedy for cold feet.
In our blog posts Effective sleep techniques to fall asleep quickly, Causes and best tips for sleep disorders and Fall asleep better with relaxation exercises, women and men can find useful tips for better and more restful sleep.
