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Birth control, equal pay, government representation — and sleep? Turns out snooze time may be the latest item on the list of women’s issues. According to recent research from the Centers for Disease Control, women are more likely than men to say they’re tired or even exhausted. While there’s no single explanation for the gender difference, there are lots of biological and psychosocial factors that can send women straight for the nap room.
What’s the Deal?
Results from the CDC research show that between 2010 and 2011, about 15 percent of women reported they felt very tired or exhausted, while only 10 percent of men confessed to the same. The gender difference was especially large among people 18 to 44 years old (about 16 percent of women versus nine percent of men). These findings add to other research suggesting that men say they need less sleep than women do, and that women are more likely to experience sleep disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome and insomnia.
It’s unclear why exactly women tend to have more problems in the snooze department, but the reason is likely related to some social and biological issues. For one thing, 18 to 44 is the age range when women usually have children. So it’s possible that, in some families, women are the ones who are up tending to screaming babies in the middle of the night.
Studies have also found that in opposite-sex couples who share a bed, men are more likely to disturb their mates. That’s possibly because women’s circadian rhythm is about six minutes shorter than men’s
All these sleep issues can have serious health consequences for women. Research has found women who sleep poorly are more likely to suffer from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and psychosocial distress than men who also sleep poorly
Is It Legit?
Probably. It’s worth noting that the CDC study relied on self-reporting, and it’s conceivable that women might just be more likely than men to admit they’re tired. Women are also more likely to say they’re stressed and to say they experience physical symptoms of stress (such as headaches and indigestion). So it’s possible that, in women, fatigue might be the body’s way of asking for a break from a hectic day.
Interestingly, the fact that women say they’re more tired doesn’t mean they’re more likely to be slacking on their responsibilities at the office. Research has found that when men and women are sleep-deprived, men are more likely to show poor performance at work. These findings suggest women are more accustomed to having to function on the job while feeling tired.
Obviously, sleep is important for everyone, but more and more research suggests women might need to be especially vigilant about making sure they get a solid night’s rest.
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