Women Watch Out: Poor Sleep Could Be Worse for You
No more excuses, please. Seriously. A new study that just came out, which I read about in an online article from an industry magazine, is bad news for women who don't sleep well. I think it's bad news for all of us.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have discovered that poor sleep is linked to greater psychological distress (no surprise there) and higher levels of biomarkers that increase your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. No surprise there, either, because it's long been reported that sleep deprivation can have tremendous health consequences.
But here's the surprising part about the study. These associations are discriminating - they are much stronger in women than in men. So it's riskier to be a sleepless woman than a sleep-deprived man.
Women sleep worse and suffer more than men.
Research like this is trying to catch up to anecdotal evidence. Women are twice as likely as men to report problems with sleep, but most sleep studies in the past have focused on men.
I'm glad to see this changing as more studies with an equal focus on both sexes are performed, allowing us to really see differences between men and women. And no, I'm not trying to make this a competition between the sexes. I'm hoping that studies like this help us as doctors to target and treat sleep troubles better in the future.
The researchers here found that about 40 percent of the men and the women who participated in the study were classified as poor sleepers. These people have frequent problems falling asleep and staying asleep.
But while their sleep quality ratings were similar, men and women had dramatically different risk profiles. The women had greater feelings of hostility, depression, and anger. They also showed signs of being at a much higher risk for cardiovascular disease.
Can't sleep? Blame your hormones.
The real question, though, is WHY are women more at risk? Why the difference? It could be a number of things, all of which will need to be examined in future studies.
The biggest reason of all is probably related to hormonal differences and substances in the body that affect mood, inflammation, insulin balance, and of course, sleep. Examples include the amino acid tryptophan and hormone melatonin that help regulate sleep, as well as serotonin in the brain, which is a cornerstone to mood. So I guess this gives women another shot at blaming their hormones.
But it's not out of your control, because with this news comes the obvious antidote: get restful sleep. Be healthier. (And thinner, sexier, and more energetic, too. That's a stronger selling point, I think!)
Now, for the men out there, this study does not give you permission to shun sleep. It's still dangerous to let yourself live off restless nights. And let's not forget that the women are likely to outlive us anyhow.
This article is cross-posted at Dr. Breus's Blog, The Insomnia Blog.
Related Topics:
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have discovered that poor sleep is linked to greater psychological distress (no surprise there) and higher levels of biomarkers that increase your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. No surprise there, either, because it's long been reported that sleep deprivation can have tremendous health consequences.
But here's the surprising part about the study. These associations are discriminating - they are much stronger in women than in men. So it's riskier to be a sleepless woman than a sleep-deprived man.
Women sleep worse and suffer more than men.
Research like this is trying to catch up to anecdotal evidence. Women are twice as likely as men to report problems with sleep, but most sleep studies in the past have focused on men.
I'm glad to see this changing as more studies with an equal focus on both sexes are performed, allowing us to really see differences between men and women. And no, I'm not trying to make this a competition between the sexes. I'm hoping that studies like this help us as doctors to target and treat sleep troubles better in the future.
The researchers here found that about 40 percent of the men and the women who participated in the study were classified as poor sleepers. These people have frequent problems falling asleep and staying asleep.
But while their sleep quality ratings were similar, men and women had dramatically different risk profiles. The women had greater feelings of hostility, depression, and anger. They also showed signs of being at a much higher risk for cardiovascular disease.
Can't sleep? Blame your hormones.
The real question, though, is WHY are women more at risk? Why the difference? It could be a number of things, all of which will need to be examined in future studies.
The biggest reason of all is probably related to hormonal differences and substances in the body that affect mood, inflammation, insulin balance, and of course, sleep. Examples include the amino acid tryptophan and hormone melatonin that help regulate sleep, as well as serotonin in the brain, which is a cornerstone to mood. So I guess this gives women another shot at blaming their hormones.
But it's not out of your control, because with this news comes the obvious antidote: get restful sleep. Be healthier. (And thinner, sexier, and more energetic, too. That's a stronger selling point, I think!)
Now, for the men out there, this study does not give you permission to shun sleep. It's still dangerous to let yourself live off restless nights. And let's not forget that the women are likely to outlive us anyhow.
This article is cross-posted at Dr. Breus's Blog, The Insomnia Blog.
Related Topics:
- The Secret Causes of Insomnia: What Every Woman Should Know About Sleep Problems
- WebMD Video: Women - Get a Better Night's Sleep
9 Comments:
I have to say the quality of my sleep has decreased since I got married. My husband snores so much I can't fall or stay asleep. Yet, he is insulted if I sleep elsewhere. Now, I am experiencing memory issues just from being so tired!
For the lady with the snoring husband, I have one to. Tried everything for a good night sleep. Earplugs and prescription sleeping pills. They did not work. His snoring rumble the bed with each snore. Yes, I did sleep in another room and yes it did cause problems but when your work performance at your jobs slack and its start to affect your paycheck what is one to do. My husband has the CPAP machine and that was a struggle he does uses it and that when i sleep in the bed but the moment that it comes off I am in the next room. For those of you who said that you are not trying hard to sleep try sleeping with a snorer who doesn't see that he/she is the PROBLEM!!!
I had to quit taking HRP because of lumps in my breast and because my sister developed estrogen related breast cancer. So now I wake up on fire in a sweat soaked bed, kick all the covers off, turn the air conditioner on high, change the bed, shower off and go to sleep. Next, I wake up freezing and pull the covers on, turn the air off and go back to sleep. Shortly I will begin the "bed on fire" pattern again. I have tried all all kinds of teas, herbs, no alcohol, no caffiene, etc. My days are as bad but I can cope better by drinking gallons of ice water, wearing sleeveless blouses and generally being in control. Nights are a nightmare. I wake up so tired I often sit on the edge of the bed and cry before I get up and begin my day.
I don't think you can blame that so quickly on hormonal variation for women. Did they control for factors such as whether the women were married, working, had children, age, etc? If a woman has a sleeping disorder and is running a family, works, etc, then she may feel more stress to keep it all going. If a man goes to work and comes home and sits on the couch- he may be able to get by better than the woman who has to do it all. Let's face, women, whether they are working or not, still do a lion's share of running a house.
Brian
I have experienced severe insomnia since I left an abusive husband and had a breakdown. I was prescribed sleep medications but feel now I am dependent on them. Over the counter meds don't help. Even a shrink hasn't been able to help. To add to the problem, I live with a 80 yr. old father. Anybody got advise?
I had trouble with sleeping since my adult son was diagnosed as being Bipolar I. He will not stay med compliant dues to lack of insight Agoroposia it is called (sp?) This has been going on for over 7 yrs. I was given Valium to sleep and for bad nerves etc, after a short while I realized that was like throwing water on the fire bell. I have now come to hate the illness (not my son) and it either the illness or me and now realize it is sure not going to be me, I will not give into that illness. Since that I sleep a little better, but there are days though. I persevere though
Mother of BP son
I haven't been able to sleep well in about two years. I am currently on my third medication. Just like the rest, it only works for a little while. To my knowledge there is no long term medication. After a while everything stops working. It is frustrating. This is the longest bout of insomnia I have ever had. At this point I am self medicating with marijuana to sleep. I need to go back to my doctor.
My husband & I have been sleeping in seperate bedrooms for a year and a half now and are getting along better then ever! Why? Because we are both sleeping much better and when one of us has trouble sleeping we can do things (read, watch TV, or just toss & turn) without interupting the other's sleep. We have a very active sex life and neither of us feels sleeping apart is a threat to our relationship. It's really cute on a Sunday morning when my husband 'phones' me and says, "your room or mine?".
i can relate to the woman with the"bed on fire". i too wake up or just stay up all thru the night, soaked in sweat, burning up. I turn the fan on me, cool down, then I'm, freezing. I cover up then BAM here comes another one...and this goes on all night long, I get no sleep at all when all is said in done. I get them in the day too but not as bad it seems. I tried HRT and it made my heart rate and blood pressure go thru the roof. i really don't know what step to take next...I'm only 46...and just ready to throw in the towel so to speak. But i can't , i have a 26 year old disabled son that takes 24/7 care, and i hold down a full time job as a waitress in a high volume theme park ...HELP PLEASE!!
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