Do Women Need More Sleep Than Men? Here’s What Science Says

If it feels like women are constantly chasing rest, the science largely agrees. According to research published in Sleep, Sleep Medicine Reviews, and The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, women consistently report poorer sleep quality and higher rates of sleep disturbance than men, even when total sleep time appears similar. This is biological, hormonal, and structural. In simple terms, women are not necessarily sleeping less, but they are far more likely to sleep worse. Not because women are inherently “sleepier,” but because their sleep is more likely to be biologically disrupted, fragmented, and less restorative. Over time, that creates a real need for more sleep opportunities compared to men.

Hormones Quietly Interfere With Sleep Quality

Female hormones interact directly with the brain’s sleep and circadian systems. Across the menstrual cycle, fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone influence body temperature, mood, and how stable sleep stages are. Many women experience lighter sleep and more awakenings in the days leading up to their period, which can leave them feeling unrested even after a full night.

This disruption intensifies during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and perimenopause. Night sweats, hot flashes, physical discomfort, and anxiety-related arousal all reduce sleep efficiency. The result is not always fewer hours, but poorer-quality sleep that demands extra recovery time.

Insomnia Is Significantly More Common In Women

Large epidemiological studies consistently show that women report insomnia more often than men. Insomnia is not only about sleeping less. It often involves difficulty falling asleep, frequent nighttime awakenings, and a heightened state of alertness in bed. Even when total sleep duration looks adequate on paper, the brain does not fully switch into restorative mode. This is one of the strongest reasons women often feel they need more sleep to function normally.

Mental Load And Night-Time Vigilance Matter

Beyond biology, social patterns play a role. Women are more likely to shoulder caregiving and household responsibility, which shows up in sleep science as increased nighttime vigilance. Being partially alert for children, family members, or responsibilities fragments deep sleep. Over weeks and months, this creates chronic sleep debt that the body tries to repay by asking for longer rest.

Health Conditions That Disrupt Sleep Are Under-Recognised

Conditions like restless legs syndrome, migraines, iron deficiency, and even sleep apnea can present differently in women and are often underdiagnosed. When untreated, they quietly erode sleep quality, making extended sleep time feel necessary just to feel baseline functional.

Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep. For many women, that range functions as a minimum rather than a guideline. The issue is not weakness or low resilience. It is biology, mental load, and disrupted sleep architecture. When sleep quality drops, the body compensates by asking for more.