article: Sleep deprivation hits women harder than men

**perSue** · 06-15-2008, 05:40 PM

Grumpy: Sleep deprivation hits women harder than men

Women whose sleep is regularly disturbed - or particularly those who have
difficulty falling asleep - are more likely to have higher levels in their blood
of a substance linked to Type 2 diabetes.

Men's health, however, appears to be far less dependent on how well they sleep.

Researchers from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, asked 210 healthy
men and women without diagnosed sleep disorders to fill out a questionnaire on
the quality of their sleep.

The volunteers were assessed for levels of depression, anger, hostility and how
much social support they had.

Blood samples were also analysed.

Around 40 per cent of the participants were classified as poor sleepers.

While there was little difference in sleep quality between the sexes, the women
were found to have suffered much more when deprived of sleep.

The scientists found among their female subjects that sleeping problems - poor
sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep more than two nights a week, or taking
longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep - were also linked to higher levels of
fibrinogen, a clotting factor that has been tied to stroke.

Women with sleeping problems also tended to exhibit higher levels of various
markers tied to the inflammation which can lead to thickening of the arteries
and increased risk of heart disease.

Those who slept poorly also reported more symptoms of depression, hostility and
anger.

But the men with sleeping problems showed no increased risk of the conditions
that were affecting the women.

Dr Edward Suarez, associate professor in Duke's department of psychiatry and
behavioural sciences, said: "This is the first empirical evidence that supports
what we have observed about the role of gender and its effects upon sleep and
health.

"The study suggests that poor sleep - measured by the total amount of sleep, the
degree of awakening during the night, and most importantly, how long it takes to
get to sleep - may have more serious health consequences for women than for men.

"We found that for women, poor sleep is strongly associated with high levels of
psychological distress, and greater feelings of hostility, depression and anger.

"In contrast, these feelings were not associated with the same degree of sleep
disruption in men."

He added: "The results were so dramatic that 33 per cent of the women who were
poor sleepers had protein levels associated with a high risk of heart disease.

"Interestingly, it appears that it's not so much the overall sleep quality that
was associated with greater risk, but rather the length of time it takes a
person to fall asleep that takes the highest toll.

"Women who reported taking half an hour or more to fall asleep showed the worst
risk profile."

Dr Suarez said the differences between men and women could be attributed to
variations in the activity of the number of naturally occurring substances in
the body, such as the amino acid tryptophan, the neurotransmitter serotonin, and
the hormone melatonin.

"All of these substances are known to affect mood, sleep, onset of sleep,
inflammation and insulin resistance," he said.

"Improvements in sleep as a means of reducing risk for cardiovascular disease
may prove particularly important in women."

The study was published online in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity.

**Darlene** · 06-15-2008, 08:32 PM

I love to sleep, per chance to dream and I like my dreams, lol.

I don't know about this study...I do know women who are mothers sleep lightly and awaken easily for the most part. Also think women let their stress out where men sleep like rocks and are stress city because they hold it in. Alot of variables come into play.
Live well, laugh often, love much and hopefully everything else will fall into place for a good nights sleep.

Oh also think women worry too much about family stuff and what the next day brings, keep a pad & pencil next to the bed, right the stuff down and cast your cares to the wayside. Just my thoughts.
Sleep well.

**earthymom** · 06-15-2008, 08:39 PM

I've also read that women who are sleep deprived tend to gain weight more easily.

My New Year's Resolution several years ago was to always allow myself at least 8 hours of sleep a night. But I still tend to wake up around 4 am or earlier.

**baxjul** · 06-15-2008, 08:52 PM

I've had insomnia for a while, and I can attest to the fact I'm seriously grumpy!

**karone** · 06-16-2008, 04:34 AM

i have always been a night person even as a baby according to my mom. so i do have a hard time sleeping at nite.

**emily_hope** · 06-16-2008, 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by Darlene

I love to sleep, per chance to dream and I like my dreams, lol.

I don't know about this study...I do know women who are mothers sleep lightly and awaken easily for the most part. Also think women let their stress out where men sleep like rocks and are stress city because they hold it in. Alot of variables come into play.
Live well, laugh often, love much and hopefully everything else will fall into place for a good nights sleep.

Oh also think women worry too much about family stuff and what the next day brings, keep a pad & pencil next to the bed, right the stuff down and cast your cares to the wayside. Just my thoughts.
Sleep well.

So true. My problem right now is my oldest DD being out at night with friends and me not being able to go to sleep until she gets home. Losing a lot of sleep here!

**baronmom** · 06-16-2008, 09:12 AM

I hardly ever get a good nights sleep anymore. I am always worrying about something. I think the last time I had a really good nights sleep was when ds1 was home on leave and he slept in his bed. When all 5 of us were here and in bed, I felt a little relief, and was able to completely let go and sleep. Now that he is back in NC, I worry about him all the time.

**katybug** · 10-23-2008, 01:18 PM

I have to say Bah Humbug on this subject. My sleep is terrible and I haven't found anything to make it better. Sleeping pills don't help me sleep and just make me feel hungover the next morning.

And after my accident it only got worse! (HA!) What is even more frustrating is I live with the world's best sleeper. He complains about only getting 8 hours of sleep a night.

I'm like "Really, really, you are going to complain about that, to me?"

Again, Bah, Humbug!

~KS

**HisDaisy** · 10-23-2008, 05:37 PM

I thought that the article was interesting.
I am suffer though period of insomina that some times last weeks to months. During these times, my mental and physical health suffer greatly.
My husband on the hand can get very little sleep and function just fine without the same health effect that I have.
It is amazing how important sleep is. Until I started having sleep problems, I did not realize just how important it was.

**frugalbabe** · 10-24-2008, 01:33 AM

I think I have severe sleep apnea. I snore, dh says I frequently stop breathing, I always dream I am drowning, and I truly did not know that people actually wake up in the morning feeling good - I always feel terrible. I have decided to finally be evaluated by a sleep center because it is finally getting to the point where I can't "power" through it anymore it is affecting my relationship with my family. What finally made me take my sleep problems seriously is my five year old was talking to his church teacher and he said he "was exhausted" she asked him if he knew what that word meant and he said "My mom says it all the time" how sad is that? The thing that sticks out to my little guy is that I'm exhausted. This isn't the mom I want to be. Oh and my dh? He has to be up for his job by 4 AM and so maybe gets 6 hours on a good night and he gets tired by the end of the week but otherwise it doesn't seem to affect him like it would me -- if I had to live his schedule I would die, I think literally.

**kittykatstrong** · 10-24-2008, 05:45 AM

I sleep pretty well. But I have a on switch and a off switch. I can fall asleep anywhere and at any time.

Before when I drove alot I would have to pull over all the time and take a 20 min power nap just to keep driving.

**cmdarlin** · 10-24-2008, 08:12 AM

I couldn't tell you the last time I had a good nights sleep. I did ok until I divorced and was working the third shift at a hotel. It seemed to have gotten my whole system out of whack. Could never sleep during the day. Now, the past year has been really horrible. I try to go to bed early and am lucky to make it to 9pm. but seem to toss and turn all night long. Now I just give up and get up at 4am everyday. I'll come home from school and want nap time!

Debbie

**PrairieRose** · 10-24-2008, 09:16 AM

Thanks for posting the article. It feels like vindication for me. When I was a young mother I had the most perfect babies.....during the daytime. When the sun went down they turned into little monsters who would NOT sleep, and as a result I didn't get any sleep either. My dh was working hard during the day, would come home, eat, go to bed and go immediately to sleep. I was lucky and this is no exaggeration, lucky if I ever got an hour's straight sleep, until about 4 in the morning the babies would finally sleep for about 3 hours. My dad always thought it was cute to call early in the morning to wake the babies up b/c he thought I was just lazy and wanted sleep late. I'm pretty sure I had a little nervous breakdown during this 5 yr. period and not one person in my family had a clue as to what was wrong with me. Years later a dr. explained severe sleep deprivation and all that it could cause. I felt better but wished my whole family would have been there to hear it. They never understood, never. My heart goes out to all moms of small children who won't sleep and everyone else who has insomnia. It really, really screws with your physical and mental health