Why you really ARE more tired than your other half – and what you can do about it.
- If you always think you’re more tired than your husband, you’re right
- The National Sleep Foundation say women are worse sleepers than men
- Angela Epstein explores common reasons for insomia – and solutions
At the end of a busy week, do you ever find yourself arguing with your husband about who’s more exhausted?
Though it won’t make you feel better in the long-term, take comfort in the fact that you probably are more tired than him.
That’s because, according to research by the National Sleep Foundation, women are worse sleepers than men. Its recent survey found 63 per cent of women experience insomnia a few times a week, compared with 54 per cent of men.
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This difference – termed the gender sleep gap – may be partly because women are biologically programmed to be lighter sleepers. Waking up easily is a form of being on red alert so that a mother can spring into action should her baby cry during the night.
What makes it even worse is that we tend to need more sleep than men, at least an extra 20 minutes, according to Professor Jim Horner, of Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre.
‘Women tend to multi-task and so they use more of their brain than men. Because of that, their need for sleep is greater,’ he says.
So, what can we do to get some much-needed rest? Here, we reveal the main causes of the gender sleep gap – and how to overcome them.
DIETING
Men may be looking after their figures a little better these days, but women still make up the majority of dieters.
So women are more likely to be fighting late-night hunger pangs that can prevent them from getting to sleep – and they may lie awake for longer rather than raid the fridge.
Independent dietician Dr Sarah Schenker advises including carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index (GI) – foods that release energy more slowly – as part of the evening meal.
‘It has been suggested that calories with a low GI will help keep blood sugar levels stable,’ she says.
Low GI carbohydrates include wholegrain basmati rice, kidney beans, chickpeas and potatoes.
HEARTBURN
Pregnant and menopausal women are more vulnerable to heartburn than men. The condition – in which stomach acid splashes back up into the oesophagus – is a particular problem at night.
During the day, acid may briefly enter the oesophagus, but is quickly pulled back to the stomach by gravity. But at night, when you are lying flat, acid tends to rest in the oesophagus for longer, causing more pain and damage.
Dr Steven Mann, consultant gastroenterologist at Barnet Hospital in London, suggests avoiding alcohol, chocolate, coffee, fizzy drinks, citrus fruit and spicy or fatty foods. ‘Eating smaller meals and having your evening meal three to four hours before bedtime may help too,’ he says.
Another way to reduce the chance of heartburn is to raise your bed a little by stacking a couple of books under the head end. If this doesn’t work, over-the-counter antacids can be taken to neutralise stomach acids.
SLEEP GAP
The average adult sleeps for six hours and 36 minutes a night – one hour and 24 minutes less than recommended
TEETH GRINDING
One in four Britons suffers from night-time bruxism – teeth grinding – and the majority are women, according to London-based dentist Dr Charles Ferber. The condition can cause jaw and neck pain, which can disturb sleep.
Dr Ferber says that bruxism may have an emotional trigger, since it offers an unconscious way to release stress.
‘It’s also common for women to get bruxism around the menopause, pregnancy or certain stages of the menstrual cycle. This combination of stress and hormones could raise the chances of women suffering from it.’
What’s more, the consequences of grinding teeth can be even more serious for women than men.
‘The muscles of the female jaw are weaker than they are in men,’ says Dr Ferber.
‘This creates more pain and so this increases the chance of disrupted sleep.’
It’s possible to manage symptoms by sleeping in a mouth guard or mouth splints, available from your dentist.
‘Taking a holistic approach may also help,’ says Dr Ferber.
‘Find ways to reduce stress, such as relaxing in a warm bath or not using a computer for an hour before going to bed.’
HEADACHES
Women report having more headaches than men – and are much more likely to be woken up by pain in the middle of the night. Dr Andy Dowson, director of headache services at King’s College London, explains that sudden, stabbing head pains in the night can be hypnic headaches or ‘alarm clock headaches’.
‘These tend to affect more women than men, and strike at the same time every night, usually between 1am and 3am,’ he says.
‘The throbbing pain begins abruptly and can last from 15 minutes to six hours, though typically it is 30 to 60 minutes.’
Doctors are not sure what causes these headaches. However, some research suggests that, counter-intuitively, drinking caffeine in the evening may help prevent them.
The theory suggests caffeine may affect pain pathways in the brain. If the pain is severe, your doctor may prescribe painkillers.
RESTLESS LEGS
As many as one in ten people develop restless legs syndrome, with twice as many women as men affected – though it’s not clear why. Also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, the condition causes an overwhelming urge to move the legs, along with a crawling sensation in the feet, calves and thighs.
Symptoms become worse at night and can wake sufferers.
According to Dr Nicholas Silver, a consultant neurologist at the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool, cutting out caffeine can help.
‘In my experience, 60 per cent of patients find this disappears if they stop all forms of caffeine.’
TEMPERATURE
Women approaching or going through the menopause can suffer night-time sweats, which can significantly disrupt sleep.
‘Night-time sweating is caused by a lack of the hormone oestrogen,’ says Leila Hanna, consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at Queen Mary’s Hospital in London.
‘It’s thought this change in hormonal balance affects a receptor in the brain, which is responsible for temperature control in the body.’
Conversely, women tend to feel the cold more than men. Women’s bodies are quicker to direct blood inwards toward the vital organs when it gets cold. This lack of blood in the hands and feet makes them feel even colder.
Invest in an extra duvet for your side or dream of your next holiday – according to University of Portsmouth research, imagining a hot place can warm you up.
WORRYING
Once woken up, women find it much harder to get back to sleep than men, according to research at the University of Surrey.
The study found 18 per cent of women had a bad night’s sleep at least five days a week, compared with only 8 per cent of men.
Most reported having difficulty sleeping because they were worrying. A warm bath before bed is relaxing, and also means you’ll experience a drop in body temperature when you get out of the water, which helps the brain prepare for sleep.
It may sound counter-intuitive, but if you can’t sleep, try to focus on staying awake. Research from the University of Glasgow found that reverse psychology helped some insomniacs fall asleep.
HEAVYWEIGHTS
We all change sleeping position about 20 times a night, but men seem to shift around more than women, according to Professor Jim Horne.
Since men tend to weigh more than women, their movements are more likely to result in their partner being woken up.
‘Opt to sleep with separate duvets,’ says Sammy Margo, a chartered physiotherapist.
Getting a bigger bed may also help – especially zip and link beds, which join two single mattresses together.
Being heavier, men are also more likely to snore. If night-time noise is ruining your rest, the only solution may be to banish him to the spare room.
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