{"id":483,"date":"2018-04-26T22:23:49","date_gmt":"2018-04-26T22:23:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/?p=483"},"modified":"2018-07-31T22:50:57","modified_gmt":"2018-07-31T22:50:57","slug":"women-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/2018\/04\/26\/women-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"Women’s Relationship with Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"\"women\r\n\r\nDoes each sex experience sleep differently? Are women and men uniquely affected by rest? The answer is a resounding “yes.” Today, we take a look at the role of sleep in women and how it is uniquely different than that of their male counterparts.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n

Women and Sleep<\/h2>\r\nA recent study<\/span><\/a> conducted by Uppsala University in Sweden examined the relationship between sleep deprivation and short-term memory in 24 young adults, consisting of equal numbers of men and women. Researchers had half of the participants pull an all-nighter, while the other half were allowed to sleep through the night. Afterward, they were asked to complete a task to test short-term memory: participants had to recall an 8-digit number sequence. Half of the group learned the sequence in relative silence, while the other had an \u201cauditory distraction\u201d present.<\/span>\r\n\r\nWhile it is important to note that the study was conducted with a small sample size and that more research is needed, women’s working memories (or short-term memories) were affected more than their male counterparts — women had more difficulty recalling as many digits. Interestingly, women were also not<\/span> aware of the decline in memory that resulted from a lack of sleep. This study points to the fact that sleep is particularly important for women’s short-term memory and that women are more affected by sleep deprivation. But why is this the case?<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe National Sleep Foundation<\/span><\/a> definitively points to the expert opinion that women need more sleep than men — up to 20 minutes more. This is believed to be true because women multitask more, using more brain power on a daily basis, and therefore need more time at rest to rejuvenate.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAdditionally, approximately 15 percent<\/span><\/a> of women report having issues sleeping, compared to only eight percent of men. And women are 2-3 times more prone to insomnia than men. When it comes to other sleep disorders, women are less at risk for sleep apnea than men, until they pass menopause, and then women are as equally likely to develop sleep apnea as their male counterparts of the same age.<\/span>\r\n

Possible Solutions<\/h2>\r\nThere are many strategies that either sex can try when attempting to improve their rest:<\/span>\r\n