Why Women Need More Sleep Than Men, According to Science

If you’ve ever wondered why you feel more tired than your partner, even when you both went to bed at the same time, you’re not imagining things. Women genuinely need more sleep than men. The reason? Women’s brains tend to work harder throughout the day, performing multiple demanding tasks and switching between them frequently. This extra brain activity means more recovery time is needed at night.

Professor Jim Horne, the neuroscientist behind the study, explains that one of sleep’s key functions is to allow the brain to repair and recover. “The more of your brain you use during the day, the more of it that needs to recover and, consequently, the more sleep you need,” he told The Daily Mail. Because women often multitask and juggle a wide range of cognitive and emotional responsibilities, their sleep requirement tends to be about 20 minutes longer than that of men.

But this difference isn’t just about rest, it’s about health. Research now shows that sleep deprivation affects women more severely, increasing their risk of mood disturbances, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. Let’s unpack what science tells us about this gender-based sleep gap and what women can do to get the rest they deserve.

Women’s Brains Work Harder—And Need More Recovery

Women’s brains are wired for complex coordination and integration of multiple cognitive systems. Throughout the day, they transition seamlessly between analytical thinking, emotional processing, language comprehension, and executive decision-making. Neuroimaging studies suggest that women exhibit greater connectivity between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, allowing them to process information more efficiently but also placing greater metabolic demands on the brain itself. This increased interhemispheric communication requires longer recovery periods during sleep for neuronal repair and the clearance of cellular byproducts such as beta-amyloid.

The female brain also engages more intensively in regions associated with empathy, memory, and multitasking, particularly the prefrontal cortex and limbic system. These areas remain highly active during waking hours as women manage work, relationships, and emotional regulation simultaneously. Deep sleep stages, especially slow-wave sleep, are essential for these areas to reset and restore synaptic balance. When sleep is insufficient, these brain regions become less efficient, leading to decreased focus, emotional instability, and slower cognitive recovery.

Beyond restoring mental performance, adequate sleep strengthens the brain’s glymphatic system, which clears waste and supports neurological health. Because women utilize a larger proportion of this system during high cognitive activity, their brains demand slightly longer and deeper sleep cycles to maintain equilibrium. Simply put, women’s brains are not just multitasking machines—they are finely tuned systems that require more recovery time to sustain optimal function.

Poor Sleep Hits Women Harder Than Men

When women experience poor sleep, the consequences reach beyond fatigue. Research shows that women’s immune, cardiovascular, and metabolic systems respond more sensitively to sleep loss, making the effects more far-reaching. Even a single night of insufficient sleep can elevate inflammatory markers and alter insulin response, setting the stage for chronic health problems if the pattern continues. This biological sensitivity means that women’s bodies register stress more strongly when sleep is disrupted, leading to an increase in systemic inflammation and oxidative stress.

Sleep deprivation also alters neurotransmitter balance in ways that affect emotional regulation. Reduced levels of serotonin and dopamine can lead to mood instability and irritability, while increased cortisol production amplifies stress reactivity. Over time, this imbalance can contribute to anxiety and depressive symptoms, particularly in women who are already under daily stress from work or caregiving responsibilities.

Cognitive and physical recovery also differ between men and women after a night of poor sleep. Women show slower reaction times, reduced working memory, and a sharper decline in sustained attention the following day. Physiologically, their bodies take longer to return to a balanced state, with blood pressure and heart rate remaining elevated for longer periods compared to men. This prolonged recovery phase helps explain why chronic sleep debt in women is more likely to lead to long-term cardiovascular complications.

In short, inadequate sleep in women affects more than mood or concentration. It disrupts key biological pathways that maintain hormonal balance, heart function, and emotional resilience. Consistently prioritizing restorative sleep is one of the most effective ways women can protect both their mental and physical health.

Why Women Struggle More to Fall and Stay Asleep

Falling asleep and staying asleep can be particularly challenging for women because of the way their bodies and minds react to nighttime conditions. Biological and behavioral patterns make women more prone to fragmented sleep and delayed sleep onset. Studies suggest that women often have a more reactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, meaning their stress response system stays alert longer when they try to unwind. This hyperarousal state prevents the gradual drop in core body temperature and the neurological calm needed to transition into deep sleep.

Mental load also plays a significant role. Many women carry residual cognitive activity into bedtime, replaying events or planning for the next day. This continued engagement of the prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for decision-making and problem-solving, delays the onset of sleep and increases the likelihood of middle-of-the-night awakenings. Once awake, it becomes harder to quiet these mental processes and return to rest, especially when environmental or hormonal factors are also involved.

Physical changes across a woman’s lifespan further complicate sleep continuity. Shifts in reproductive hormones can influence how quickly sleep cycles begin and how long each stage lasts. For instance, during perimenopause and menopause, fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels can alter thermoregulation and trigger nocturnal awakenings due to heat sensations or discomfort. Similarly, pregnancy can cause physical strain and frequent bathroom trips that fragment sleep without allowing for full restorative cycles.

Environmental and behavioral triggers add another layer. Light exposure from electronic devices, irregular sleep schedules, or late-day caffeine intake can delay melatonin release and shorten overall sleep duration. Because women tend to have slightly earlier circadian rhythms than men, these disruptions can shift their natural sleep window, making it harder to both fall asleep and stay asleep. Understanding these unique biological and lifestyle factors allows for more targeted strategies to improve the depth and consistency of women’s sleep.

The Hormone Connection: How Sleep Affects Mood and Health

Hormonal signaling shapes how the brain regulates sleep timing, depth, and emotional tone upon waking. Estradiol modulates the circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and influences REM architecture, while progesterone interacts with GABA receptors to promote a calmer, sleep‑permissive state. Across a typical menstrual cycle, estradiol peaks can produce lighter, more fragmented sleep for some women, and the late luteal drop in both estradiol and progesterone is associated with shorter total sleep time and greater morning irritability. In clinically sensitive individuals, these shifts correlate with premenstrual mood changes, illustrating how nightly sleep and daytime affect are linked through endocrine rhythms.

Pregnancy introduces a different endocrine profile. Rising progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin in the first trimester increase sleepiness but also contribute to nocturnal awakenings. Later, mechanical discomfort and frequent urination fragment sleep, while elevated cortisol near term can heighten early‑morning awakenings. Postpartum, abrupt falls in estradiol and progesterone occur alongside irregular sleep due to infant care, a combination that can intensify mood lability in those at risk for postpartum depression. These patterns reflect how rapid hormonal transitions can destabilize sleep continuity and emotional regulation even in healthy women.

During the menopausal transition, vasomotor symptoms and altered thermoregulation are tied to declining estradiol. Night sweats and heat sensations trigger brief arousals that reduce slow‑wave and REM proportions, and the cumulative loss of restorative sleep is linked with next‑day tension and lower stress tolerance. Beyond mood, estradiol influences endothelial function and lipid handling; when sleep is repeatedly curtailed during this stage, cardiometabolic risk markers such as fasting glucose and blood pressure tend to worsen more noticeably in women.

Melatonin dynamics also differ with age and reproductive status. Reduced nocturnal melatonin amplitude, which is more common in perimenopause and with evening light exposure, is associated with delayed sleep onset and a flatter morning affect. Because melatonin, estradiol, and cortisol interact at the receptor and transcriptional level, changes in one system ripple through the others, producing measurable effects on sleep depth, morning energy, and stress reactivity. Taken together, women’s hormonal milieu does not merely coincide with sleep; it actively shapes how restorative the night will be and how resilient mood and cardiovascular health will feel the next day.

My Personal RX on Getting Better Sleep

Sleep is not a luxury—it’s one of your body’s most important healing tools. As someone who has seen firsthand how chronic sleep deprivation impacts both mood and health, I encourage you to view rest as medicine. Here’s how you can start sleeping smarter and feeling better:

Prioritize Sleep Hygiene: Set a consistent bedtime routine and stick to it. Your body thrives on rhythm.
Try Sleep Max: If you struggle with falling asleep or staying asleep, this natural formula can support relaxation and help you achieve deeper, restorative sleep without next-day grogginess.
Unplug Early: Disconnect from devices at least one hour before bed. Use this time to unwind with reading, journaling, or meditation.
Balance Your Hormones Naturally: Focus on whole foods rich in magnesium, B vitamins, and omega-3s to help regulate sleep-related hormones.
Read The 7 Supplements You Can’t Live Without (Free Guide): This guide can help you identify key nutrients that promote sleep, mood balance, and overall vitality.
Mind Your Mental Health: If stress or anxiety keeps you awake, integrate relaxation practices such as deep breathing, yoga, or guided meditation.
Don’t Skip Exercise: Regular physical activity promotes better sleep quality and reduces anxiety.
Limit Late-Night Snacks: Eating too close to bedtime can trigger digestive issues that interfere with sleep.
Hydrate During the Day, Not at Night: Avoid excessive fluids right before bed to reduce nighttime awakenings.
Listen to Your Body: Some nights may require more rest than others. Give yourself permission to prioritize sleep without guilt.

Sources

Suarez, E. C. (2008). Self-reported symptoms of sleep disturbance and inflammation, coagulation, insulin resistance and psychosocial distress: evidence for gender disparity. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 22(6), 960–968. https://scholars.duke.edu/publication/800861
National Sleep Foundation. (2024). Healthy Sleep Tips. Retrieved from https://www.thensf.org/sleep-tips/