Last updated on October 31st, 2024 at 12:10 pm
Sleep is an essential part of life that everyone needs regularly to maintain health and longevity. Current guidelines suggest adults need seven to nine hours of quality sleep every day to support the various needs of the body. While this is a general guideline for adults and everyone’s sleep requirements can vary, there is a difference in the total amount of sleep that men and women obtain.
Research from Harvard Health suggests that roughly 60 percent of adult women do not meet the basic sleep guidelines with regularity. This can be caused by many reasons, but insomnia, hormonal shifts, and childcare tends to drag down slumber duration. Not achieving the minimum amount of sleep each night can lead to health implications across the board and can contribute to illness, fatigue, and mental fog.
How Many Hours of Sleep Do Women Need Compared to Men?
Research from the Sleep Foundation suggests that on average, women need 11 more minutes of sleep each night when compared to men. When wondering how many hours of sleep do women need, not only are a large percentage of women not meeting general sleep guidelines, it turns out that women need even more sleep. Part of the reason for more sleep is that women may need more support for various physiological processes such as menstruation, menopause, and hormone production. When pregnancy or breastfeeding is added to the mix, the minimum amount of sleep increases even more.
Tips for Improving Sleep Patterns
Data from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort described that women who were considered perimenopausal and postmenopausal were two times more likely to be unhappy with their sleep quality when compared to premenopausal women. Given that women need more quality sleep, it is important to find ways to stack the deck for slumber at night. Listed below are some simple methods that can be used to establish healthy sleep patterns.
- Establish a Routine. While many adults tend to have a “bedtime” each night, establishing a consistent sleep routine is important. The human body is wired for routine and having a regular sleep schedule can help to maximize the natural circadian rhythm.
- Create a Calming Environment. Establishing a sleeping arrangement that encourages relaxation can help to wire the brain for sleep. Consider making the room dark, free from noises, and as comfortable as possible to encourage the best sleep patterns.
- Watch Alcohol Intake. There is a misconception that alcohol consumption can help with sleep. Studies have shown that even small amounts of alcohol can impair rapid eye movement (REM). If sleep is a struggle, skipping the glass of wine may help to promote healthy sleep habits.
- Begin an Exercise Routine. Exercise is an important element in various parts of wellness and adding cardiovascular and resistance training may help to promote sleep. As long as exercise is performed at least two hours before bed, having a regular physical activity program can help the body fall and stay asleep, and remain in deeper stages of sleep for tissue health.
- Maintain Healthy Nutritional Options. The foods you eat throughout the day can affect the sleep you get at night. Recent studies have demonstrated that proper nutrition can play an important element in sleep. Particularly, eating foods that contain antioxidants, are low-glycemic index, anti-inflammatory, and limiting caffeine intake can be a foundation to establishing sound sleep patterns.
Can Supplements Support Sleep Patterns?
Figuring out how many hours of sleep women need may be biased toward diet and nutrition. Since nutrition is an important element for healthy sleep patterns, supplements may play a role for optimal slumber. Dietary supplements contain nutrients that typically come from the food we eat, but are packaged to provide the body with a direct source. Here are some supplements that can help to supply the body with nutrients to encourage healthy sleep patterns.
- Microbiome Labs Zenbiome Sleep. Zenbiome Sleep by Microbiome Labs contains a blend of probiotics, L-theanine, and lemon balm to encourage gut health and calmness. This can be especially valuable after working a stressful day and the addition of L-theanine can help to calm the body for stress relief.
- Douglas Laboratories Melatonin 1 mg. Douglas Laboratories Melatonin 1 mg offers circadian rhythm support as a low-dose supplement. Melatonin is a natural hormone the body releases in response to the sun setting each day. Considered to be one of the most common supplements, Melatonin 1 by Douglas Labs is designed to help the body respond to the signal to start the sleep process.
- NutriDyn Everyday Essentials Women’s. NutriDyn Everyday Essentials Women’s offers a comprehensive formula of nutrients for women’s health. It contains essential vitamins, minerals, Omega-3 fats, specialized carotenoids, powerful microcrystalline hydroxyapatite calcium, and a proprietary phytonutrient blend for nutritional support. Everyday Essentials Women’s by NutriDyn is essential to help women to meet the gap in nutrition that may not be achieved from diet alone.
- Metagenics Wellness Essentials Women – 30 Packets. Metagenics Wellness Essentials Women – 30 Packets contains a formula that supports heart health and an active lifestyle. It contains a wide range of vitamins, minerals, zeaxanthin, lycopene, lutein, resveratrol, and a phytonutrient blend for antioxidant support. These packets by Metagenics support various dietary needs and can help to meet the gap in daily nutrition.
FAQs
What Causes Insomnia?
Insomnia is a multi-factor issue that sometimes can be unexplained. For some, insomnia can be a result of stress, racing thoughts, increasing age, primary sleep disorders, and substance use. Insomnia can often lead to frustration at night and it can include various sleep-related issues.
Do Electronics Affect Sleep?
Electronics, especially cell phones, contain blue light that triggers the brain. This blue light can contribute to undesirable sleep patterns, circadian rhythm issues, and difficulty staying asleep at night. While reading on a cell phone before bed at night might seem to help to calm the mind, it could be a contributor to unwanted sleep patterns.
Is Meditation Good Before Bed?
Meditation is a practice in which the mind and body focus on the breath. In this practice, the body creates breathing patterns to allow the mind to calm, relax, and support stress relief. If stress is affecting daily health, consider short meditations before bed to support a calming environment and soothe the body.
Should I Adjust My Thermostat for Sleep?
One option to support sleep patterns is to adjust the thermostat for sleep. Cooler rooms can affect sleep duration and quality and may be a powerful tool in obtaining sleep. Aim for a temperature between 65-68 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal results. If this is too cold, consider adjusting appropriately.
Resources:
- 5 Ways to Stick to a Healthy New Year’s Resolution - December 3, 2024
- When to Take Fiber Supplements - November 21, 2024
- How Many Hours of Sleep Do Women Need? - October 22, 2024
