Most adult women need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Research suggests women may need slightly more sleep than men, often about 20 minutes more on average. Yet many women fall well short of that mark. Surveys show that more than one in three adults regularly get less than seven hours, and women report poor sleep more often than men at almost every stage of life.
Sleep is not a luxury. When you sleep, your body repairs tissue, balances hormones, and clears waste from the brain. Skimping on it can impair cognitive performance, emotional regulation, and physical health.
Why women often need more rest
Studies suggest women use more white matter than men, which connects processing centers and often aids in multitasking, and this may mean more recovery time is needed. Hormones also play a big role. Estrogen and progesterone affect body temperature, mood, and the deeper stages of sleep. When these hormones rise and fall, sleep can be disturbed.
On top of that, women are more likely to deal with insomnia, restless legs, and anxiety, all of which can rob the body of quality rest.
Hormones change how you sleep
Sleep shifts at every major hormonal milestone in a woman’s life.
