I am pretty sure we all have heard this phrase before, and it’s a good introduction to say that even in the sleep field there are differences in the way men and women sleep.
An article published recently in the Chest Journal describes in a very specific way how women’s sleep changes throughout life. The researchers note that women contend with distinct sleep challenges and respond differently to sleep disorders, as well as sleep deprivation and sleep deficiency, and face particular health outcomes as a result of poor sleep.
In addition, they mention that idiosyncrasies, including changes that occur with the biological life cycles of menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause make understanding of sleep in women an important topic to study.
Each phase of a woman’s life, from childhood to menopause, increases the risk of sleep disturbances. These can come from unique and varying sources that may require distinct management at different times. Understanding the evolution of sleep across a woman’s life span may lead to more effective therapies that affect women’s health and quality of life. During times of hormonal change, women are at an increased risk for sleep disturbances such as poor sleep quality and sleep deprivation, as well as sleep disorders such as OSA, restless legs syndrome, mood disorders and insomnia.
Further research is need to better evaluate specific characteristics and conditions. We found this article quite interesting to read. Link below.
This picture shows sleep changes in female subjects from neonatal life to menopause.
Figure 1 Pengo, Martino F. et al. Sleep in Women across the life Span. Chest Vol 154 Issue 1
