A question of interest is: Are there differences in sleep between men and women? The answer is yes, and this difference starts to manifest itself in infancy and will continue into adulthood. Let’s start with a brief explanation of the gender differences in sleep. This is mainly related to the influence of brain structure, hormones, developmental processes, and psychosocial factors on circadian rhythms and sleep-wake cycles.
Males show less sleep and more wakefulness in infancy; in childhood, males will have more severe sleep problems such as heteronormative sleep; in adolescence and adulthood, males mainly show more light sleep and more wakefulness; but overall, age-related sleep changes are not as pronounced in males. Women’s sleep changes more significantly with age. In infancy, women fall asleep earlier and sleep longer; in adolescence, women still need to sleep longer than men, wake up earlier, and are more prone to drowsiness; and in adulthood, women have more deep sleep, but at the same time, women have a worse subjective sense of sleep.
This is why there are more women with insomnia. Mothers and fathers who have baby girls must let their children go to bed earlier and sleep more to ensure adequate sleep, which is an objective physiological need. Gentlemen, but also more considerate care of their wives, snoring too much will also affect the wife’s sleep, too late to return will also affect the wife’s sleep, need to pay attention to oh.
A. The impact of the menstrual cycle on sleep
Women in the premenstrual period and the period when the quality of sleep will decline. A few women will have obvious changes in sleep behavior again during the menstrual cycle, such as excessive sleepiness or insomnia 1~2 nights before menstruation, which can even meet the diagnostic criteria of sleep disorder. Women with dysmenorrhea sleep more poorly, with light sleep, inefficient sleep, and decreased subjective sleep quality. Women on oral contraceptives experience less deep sleep and more periods of light sleep and dreaming.
Suggestion: Women with sleep disorders during PMS or menstruation can visit a sleep specialist for relevant evaluation and take medication as needed for severe cases. Women with dysmenorrhea use painkillers to relieve pain and improve sleep. If sleep problems occur after using oral contraceptives, consult a doctor or choose another form of contraception.
Second, middle-aged and elderly women sleep problems
Sleep problems in middle-aged and older women, also known as menopause and postmenopausal women, are very common. Insomnia and daytime fatigue are the most common complaints. Current research has found that this is mainly related to the decline in estrogen levels, obesity and and aging.
1. Hot flashes
Hot flashes and night sweats can significantly affect sleep, especially leading to night waking. In addition, it should be noted that hysterectomy, breast cancer treatment or sudden interruption of hormone replacement therapy may lead to a significant decrease in estrogen levels, resulting in hot flashes and more pronounced sleep disturbances.
Recommendation: Long-term use of hormone replacement therapy to relieve hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms is generally not recommended because it can significantly increase the incidence of breast cancer, stroke, heart disease, and dementia; short-term use may be used under the guidance of a gynecologist for some suitable patients. In case of sleep problems, it is recommended to visit a sleep specialist for relevant evaluation and, if necessary, optional medication. In addition, appropriate changes in the sleep environment (keep the bedroom cool, replace the appropriate bedding) as well as changes in lifestyle (such as exercise, stress reduction, smoking cessation and weight loss) are likely to have a positive impact on sleep.
2.Obesity
Obesity is a more prominent problem in middle-aged and elderly women, and there is a more obvious correlation with hypertension disease and sleep breathing disorder, all three of which will have a negative impact on sleep. In particular, sleep apnea, or snoring during sleep, is very common in menopausal women but has not received the attention it deserves. Apnea during sleep causes chronic systemic hypoxia, which is very dangerous to health and can also affect sleep.
Dr. Wei suggests: Menopausal women with diseases of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and with snoring should go to a sleep specialist to assess whether they suffer from sleep apnea and start treatment as early as possible, which can significantly improve the quality of sleep and quality of life.
3.Aging
Problems related to aging, such as thyroid dysfunction, depression, widowhood, chronic pain, cancer, etc., may affect sleep. These kinds of psychosomatic problems affect sleep in many ways, and need to be dealt with according to different situations.
Suggestion: When you have poor sleep, don’t simply think for a moment that you are just getting older and that there is no way to fix it. If there is a combination of the above-mentioned related problems, you should first ask your doctor to do a professional assessment, our treatment tools are still very rich.
Third, pregnancy and postpartum sleep problems
This is the stage of a woman’s life when her sleep is easily disturbed. Women have to pay too much for raising their offspring, including sleep. Many women suffer from chronic insomnia that extends from this stage. The main reasons for decreased sleep quality are: changes in hormone levels, the effects of the fetus and the need to care for the newborn after delivery.
Common sleep problems during this stage include excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue, leg discomfort (restless leg syndrome), sleep breathing disorders, and insomnia and other sleep disorders that may develop into depression during pregnancy and postpartum depression.
Advice: It is important for mothers to be aware that sleep problems should not be taken lightly, as they may also be potentially dangerous for the child. A professional evaluation by a doctor should be sought and the cause should be identified and treatment started as early as possible.