Sleepless at night, tired during the day - everyone has probably experienced this from time to time. However, if this phenomenon occurs frequently and over long periods of time, it is a sleep disorder. Men are also affected by this, especially senior managers. However, women suffer much more frequently from sleepless nights. Why is that? A closer look reveals fundamental differences in sleep behaviour.

Not falling asleep well, restlessness at night, not being able to sleep through the night, a carousel of thoughts in your head and getting out of bed in the morning completely exhausted: Many women can tell you a thing or two about it. Once the night's rest is out of sync, the pressure that those affected put on themselves increases. But thoughts like "I have to get some sleep! The alarm clock will ring again soon!" are counterproductive and cause even more stress - a vicious circle.

Much research has been carried out and the causes of female sleep problems are also complex. Broadly speaking, three categories can be identified: medical, genetic and psychological causes, although the boundaries are blurred.

Restless leg syndrome is a chronic neurological disorder that primarily affects women. It causes sensations such as tingling and pulling in the legs and involuntary twitching of the thigh. As the syndrome, which has not yet been fully researched, occurs almost exclusively at rest, the night often becomes a nightmare for those affected.

Hormonal fluctuations, such as those that occur during pregnancy, the menopause and the normal female cycle, are also often the cause of disturbed sleep. Illnesses such as depression or anxiety disorders also cause insomnia.

The internal clock, which is more sensitive in many women than in men, also plays a major role. Irregular bedtimes or time changes are therefore more of a problem for them. In addition, women naturally have a two-hour greater need for sleep than men, which is hardly taken into account in everyday life. Another factor in sleepless nights is stress, which women are less able to shake off before bedtime than men. They are often the ones who have to manage the balancing act between work and family life in the family structure. Challenges such as childcare, caring for relatives, housework or maintaining social ties are among the "typical women's areas" in many families. Women take these daily burdens "to bed" more often than men do. It has also been proven time and again that women develop a much lighter sleep after the birth of a child and retain this for years. Less pronounced deep sleep phases and frequent waking up at night are the result.

If night-time sleep is disturbed for a long time, this has serious consequences: In addition to constant tiredness, concentration problems and forgetfulness occur; performance decreases. The body's regeneration processes, which normally take place at night, no longer function - resulting in a weakened immune system. Insufficient sleep is also associated with many chronic health problems. The risk of heart and kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, strokes and obesity is significantly increased. Mental health is also affected. Of course, these consequences also threaten men who sleep badly all the time.

By the way:

Women snore too, of course. But men sleep comparatively deeper and without interruptions, so they perceive snoring partners as less of a problem.

_{Sources:
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG)
German Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology (DGPPN)
Sleep study "Gender differences in the internal clock in response to environmental stimuli", University of Vienna, 2007}