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International Women's Day 2025: Sleep Deprivation Is Hurting Women—And Here's What You Can Do About It!

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Posted By
Pallavi Mehra
Publish Date
Date
March 09, 2025
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Blogs

International Women's Day 2025: Sleep Deprivation Is Hurting Women—And Here's What You Can Do About It! (Image Credits: iStock)

Women’s health is often overlooked when it comes to sleep. Biologically and socially, women have challenges that make them more susceptible to sleep deprivation, which in turn affects their health negatively. Their sleep patterns are disturbed due to hormonal changes, an increased mental load, and a higher probability of sleep-related problems from time to time. This leads to chronic fatigue, mood swings, obesity, and cognitive impairment.
Dr Renuka Borisa, Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Navi Mumbai, explains, "Women experience numerous factors contributing to their sleep deprivation, such as inefficient sleeping cycles and length. Improving the quality of sleep can result in a healthier lifestyle, higher energy levels, and better mood stability."

Reasons Behind Women’s Sleep Deprivation

Hormonal Changes

Dr Borisa shares, "A woman’s menstrual cycle significantly affects sleep patterns, with fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone causing restlessness and discomfort. Pregnancy also disrupts normal sleeping cycles due to hormonal changes, physical discomfort, and frequent nighttime urination. During menopause, midlife women experience symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, making deep, restorative sleep challenging."

Greater Cognitive Strain

Women tend to carry multiple roles, from working to managing a household, providing care, and offering emotional support to family members. Dr Borisa adds, "This added mental burden results in higher stress levels, making relaxation and sleep more difficult. Overthinking and persistent mental noise contribute to insomnia and disrupted sleep patterns."

Increased Prevalence of Sleep Disorders

Dr Borisa explains, "Women are at a higher risk for sleep disorders such as insomnia, restless leg syndrome (RLS), and sleep apnea compared to men. RLS, which manifests as an uncontrollable need to move one’s legs, particularly affects women during pregnancy and menopause. Sleep apnea, though less discussed, significantly diminishes sleep quality and can lead to serious health problems like cardiovascular disease."

How To Enhance Sleep Quality?

Dr Borisa explains certain ways that can help you enhance your sleep quality. This includes:

Create a Sleep RoutineDr Borisa shares, "Maintaining consistent sleep and wake times helps regulate the body’s internal clock, improving sleep quality over time."

Restrict Your Time on Screens

"The blue light emitted by digital devices inhibits melatonin production, our sleep hormone. Avoiding screens at least an hour before bed enhances melatonin levels and improves sleep. If screen use is unavoidable, using blue-light filters can help," advises Dr Borisa.

Manage Your Stress

"High stress and anxiety levels hinder sleep. Practising relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or journaling before bedtime can significantly improve sleep quality," suggests Dr Borisa.

Sleep Environment

"A dark, cool, and quiet bedroom promotes restful sleep. Using blackout curtains, white noise machines, and comfortable bedding can enhance sleep comfort," she recommends.

Be Careful With Caffeine & Alcohol

Dr Borisa warns, "Caffeine takes hours to metabolize and can interfere with sleep if consumed late in the day. While alcohol may initially induce drowsiness, it disrupts deep sleep cycles, leading to poor rest."

Why Women Require More Sleep Than Men

Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover, Head of Critical Care and Pulmonology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, explains, "Women require more sleep than men, yet they suffer from more sleep disorders. Work and domestic responsibilities, hormonal fluctuations, and societal expectations all contribute to sleep deprivation." Here he explains why women need more sleep than men.

Reasons Women Need More Sleep

    Brain Function and Recovery: Women’s brains are wired for multitasking, leading to greater mental exertion. They need more sleep for cognitive recovery and clarity.
  • Hormonal Changes: Fluctuations due to menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause disrupt sleep patterns.
  • Higher Risk of Insomnia: Women are more prone to insomnia due to stress, anxiety, and endocrine imbalances, leading to chronic sleep deprivation.
  • Emotional Processing: Women process emotions deeply, leading to overthinking and sleep disturbances.

    • Problems Faced by Women in Sleeping Enough

      Work and Domestic Duties: Balancing careers, children, and household responsibilities leads to late nights and early mornings.
  • Caregiving Responsibilities: Women often prioritize family needs over their own sleep, affecting their rest.
  • Stress and Worry: The pressure to maintain work-life balance creates stress, making it harder to relax at night.
  • Biological Sleep Disturbances: Hormonal shifts during pregnancy, menopause, and menstruation disrupt sleep cycles.

    • How Women Can Enhance Sleep

    Dr Grover shares tips to enhance sleep quality:
      Prioritize Sleep: Treat sleep as essential, just like diet and exercise. A consistent sleep schedule enhances sleep quality.
  • Create Bedtime Rituals: Reading, meditation, or a warm bath before bed signals the body it’s time to sleep.
  • Practice Relaxation Techniques: Deep breathing, yoga, or journaling reduces stress and improves sleep.
  • Optimize the Sleep Environment: Ensure a dark, quiet, and cool bedroom. Comfortable pillows and mattresses can significantly improve sleep quality.
  • Limit Stimulants and Screen Time: Avoid caffeine in the evening and reduce screen exposure at least an hour before bed to minimize sleep disruptions.
    • Dr Grover shares, "Sleep deprivation is a significant issue affecting women’s physical and mental health. Recognizing and addressing the factors contributing to poor sleep can improve overall well-being."
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