Why Do Women Tend To Wake Up Earlier Than Men?

by Julia Samuel on September 14, 2016 at 4:36 PM

Men and women have different body clocks that regulate how and when we sleep, and understanding these differences could result in better sleep for us all.

The body clock affects sleep and alertness differently in men and women. Women's body clocks are shifted to a more easterly time zone, which causes them to fall asleep and wake up earlier than men.

Sleep Disturbances In Women

The physical, emotional and hormonal changes that occur in women during puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause can cause Sleep Disturbances

‘Women are more likely than men to report insomnia at least a few days a week and experience daytime sleepiness.’

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In addition, lead study author Dr. Diane Boivin suggested in a recent statement that these differences may account for why women are more prone to disturbed sleep than men. In addition, the results could suggest that women may be less suited for night work, due to their different biological clocks.

For the study, Boivin and her team compared the sleep and alertness of 15 men and 11 women, and the women were studied during two different phases of their menstrual cycle, as the cycle can affect sleep.

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders

Circadian rhythm (also known as sleep/wake cycle or the body clock) is a biological process that follows an internal cycle of roughly 24 hours.

"Our participants did not exhibit any sleep problems during the study," said Boivin. "Just the same, our results are helping us understand, among other things, why women are more likely than men to wake up earlier in the morning and feel tired after a night's sleep. As well, women are less alert at night than men."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about a quarter of the U.S. population is not getting enough sleep and nearly 10 percent experience chronic insomnia. Sleeplessness could lead to further health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression.

The research suggests that understanding why men and women sleep differently could lead to more effective treatments for sleep disorders among both genders.

Source: Medindia

Insomnia Symptom Evaluation

Insomnia may be due to physiological, psychological, physical or environmental factors. Insomnia should be treated promptly in order to improve the quality of life and prevent other health problems.

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