You may encounter claims about sleep, such as women needing more sleep than men. While research is limited, experts suggest physiological, social, and environmental factors contribute to sleep deprivation among women
Published Mar 14, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 14, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Synopsis: Sleep is crucial for physical and mental well-being, aiding in cell repair, immune strengthening, and memory consolidation. Amid various claims online, questions arise about whether women need more sleep than men. Experts suggest factors like physiology and environment may affect women’s sleep. We spoke to sleep specialists to uncover the truth about sleep differences and how to improve rest for everyone
Sleep is a vital component of our overall health and well-being, playing a critical role in physical and mental restoration. During sleep, the body repairs and regenerates damaged cells, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. The brain processes and consolidates memories, enhancing cognitive function and emotional regulation.
But, as you scroll through social media, you might come across various claims related to sleep. Some will be showcasing warning signs of sleep issues from high cortisol, or others may have an overarching idea that women need more sleep than men.
And, then you start to wonder, do women need more sleep? Our head starts to wonder if there is real science behind this, or is it just another internet myth?
While research on this topic is limited, experts suggest that physiological, social, and environmental factors may contribute to sleep deprivation among women. So, do women actually require more sleep? And if so, what’s preventing them from getting enough rest?
We spoke to sleep specialists to uncover the truth about sleep differences, ideal sleep, and how everyone can achieve better sleep.
“We need to understand the difference between women simply sleeping more and actually requiring more sleep than men. The current understanding, based on sleep medicine textbooks, suggests that women may need more sleep than men. However, this is something that was discussed during our studies, and the real question is: Why?” said Dr Consultant Clinical & Interventional Pulmonologist at Yashoda Hospital in Hyderabad Dr Dr. Kishan Srikanth Juvva.
He pointed, to put it simply, there are underlying mechanisms involved—psychological, physiological, and hormonal cycles—that impact sleep.
One major factor is hormonal regulation. Menstruation, for instance, plays a significant role in sleep disturbances, leading to more awakenings and overall poorer sleep quality.
“As per guidelines, adults—both men and women—need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. There are no gender-based differences in recommended sleep duration,” said Dr. Sudhir Kumar, Senior Neurologist at Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad.
However, he said that studies suggest that women tend to sleep slightly more than men—by an average of just 11 minutes.
Dr. Kumar pointed out that greater sleep quantity among women does not necessarily mean better sleep quality. “Women have a higher prevalence of insomnia. Restless legs syndrome, common during pregnancy, can impair both sleep quality and quantity,” he explained.
While Dr Srikanth said that stress and anxiety levels tend to be higher in women. “Women genes are also more prone to anxiety and depression compared to men genes, which further affects sleep in a complex way. These two factors—hormonal changes and higher stress/anxiety levels—are the primary scientifically backed reasons why women may require more sleep,” he said.
Also, he pointed needing more sleep doesn’t necessarily mean that “women actually get more sleep than men.”
“Women also tend to take on more household responsibilities, which can disrupt sleep and prevent uninterrupted rest,” Dr. Kumar added.
“Ideal sleep is not just about duration; it’s about the quality of sleep,” said Dr Srikanth.
So how do you measure sleep quality?
Dr Srikanth pointed that sleep quality is measured by several factors:
Duration – Ideally, sleep should be at least 7 hours or more.
Sleep Architecture – Just like a well-designed building isn’t judged only by its height but by its overall structure, sleep quality depends on the different sleep stages. It’s architecture.
“Sleep architecture refers to the distribution and progression of sleep stages—N1, N2, N3, and REM. A healthy sleep cycle should repeat every 90–120 minutes throughout the night in a structured manner.
For sleep to be truly restorative, the architecture must be intact, meaning the body should transition through these stages properly and periodically,” said Dr Srikanth,
Sleep is divided into four stages: N1, N2, N3 (Non-REM sleep), and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. These stages cycle repeatedly throughout the night, typically every 90–120 minutes. Each stage plays a crucial role in restoring the body and brain.
N1 (Stage 1 – Light Sleep)
N2 (Stage 2 – Deeper Light Sleep)
N3 (Stage 3 – Deep Sleep / Slow-Wave Sleep)
REM (Rapid Eye Movement Sleep)
Other important factors for good sleep:
No Snoring – There should be no significant snoring that disrupts sleep.
No Leg Movements – Many people experience spontaneous leg movements or restless legs syndrome (RLS), which is a disorder that can interfere with sleep. It’s a medical condition that can be diagnosed and treated
Minimal Arousals – Frequent awakenings should be minimal to ensure deep, uninterrupted sleep.
“When all these conditions are met—proper duration, good sleep architecture, no snoring, no involuntary leg movements, and minimal awakenings—that is what we call ideal sleep,” said Dr Srikanth.
In the modern era, especially among urban populations, the main factor affecting sleep is work.
That’s something no one can avoid—the timing and duration of work significantly impact sleep.
“From our practice, we see that many young adults (18 to 30 years old) suffer from depression or anxiety. Some are anxious, some are depressed, and as a result, they experience poor sleep quality. These are two of the most common causes of sleep issues among young working individuals,” said Dr Srikanth.
The third major group affected is the elderly population. With age, the duration and quality of sleep naturally decline due to physiological changes. That’s why older adults often wake up very early, around 4 or 5 a.m.—it’s a normal, age-related reduction in sleep duration.
“There are sleep hygiene guidelines proposed by both international and national sleep research bodies. Just like hand hygiene involves washing hands properly, sleep hygiene refers to practices that promote better sleep quality. These guidelines typically include 7 to 10 key points to help maintain healthy sleep habits,” said Dr Srikanth.
Here are some of the most important sleep hygiene principles:
“If you’re struggling to get enough sleep or frequently feel unrefreshed, fatigued, or low on energy during the day, it’s important to consult a doctor. Conditions like restless legs syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, anxiety, and depression can interfere with sleep. Proper diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve sleep quality,” advised Kumar.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
