According to scientists, women need more sleep because their brain structure is more complex than that of a man. Professor Jim Horne is the director of the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University and also a sleep expert. He said poor sleep quality in women results in high levels of physiological distress, depression, hostility and anger. On the other hand, men who had the same degree of sleep disruption did not show the same changes.
Jim Horne wrote a book called A journey through the Science of Sleep. In his book he explains the importance of sleep for the brain’s ability to recover and repair. Also, when in deep sleep, the brain, particularly the part responsible for thoughts, memory and language goes into recovery mode and disengages from the senses.
He also added that the more your use the brain through the day, the longer the recovery time. Women, by nature, use their brain more than men because they multi-task very often which means they need more sleep.
Prof. Horne also explained that a man who has a complex job and makes a lot of decisions needs more sleep than the average man, but not as much as a woman.
The cause of this is that the brains of women and men are differently wired. On average, women need 20 minutes more sleep, however the length can vary from person to person.
How to improve your sleep quality
The following methods can help you sleep better but you should try more than one in order to find out which one works the best for you.
Routine sleep – Having a sleep routine will help the brain recognize when is the time to relax and slow down
Avoid stimulating foods – Caffeine, cacao, chocolate and sugar can cause insomnia if consumed before going to bed
Meditate – Since the brain of a woman works all of the time, some women have trouble falling and staying asleep. Meditating is one way to relax the brain and prepare it for sleeping and also improve the sleep quality.
Yoga – Practicing yoga helps the body prepare for a good rest. It is recommended for people who suffer from insomnia