Debunking the Myth: Do Women Really Need More Sleep than Men?

 

 

Scientific studies have hinted at the possibility that women might need more sleep than men, owing to their tendency to fall into deeper sleep states and initiate sleep faster. The widely accepted recommendation of eight hours of nightly sleep has come under scrutiny, particularly on social media platforms like TikTok. Influencers like Alexa Simpson, known as @alexasimpson34 to her 218.6K followers, have sparked conversations by asserting that women actually need a minimum of nine to ten hours of sleep each night.

Simpson’s video received almost a million likes and thousands of comments, with many women expressing relief at feeling their experiences validated. Frustration was a common sentiment, as followers shared their ongoing fatigue despite striving to meet the traditional 7-8 hours of sleep guideline.

It’s undeniable that historical medical research has frequently overlooked women, impacting various aspects of healthcare, including sleep-related issues and overall sleep quality across their lifespans.

However, sleep experts challenge the prevailing belief that women inherently require significantly more sleep than men. Dr. Shelby Harris, a clinical psychologist specializing in behavioral sleep medicine, unequivocally debunks this notion as “totally and completely untrue.”

While certain studies suggest that women may indeed enter sleep faster and experience deeper sleep cycles than men, experts caution against making sweeping generalizations about their overall sleep needs.

Additionally, research has shown that women typically spend more time in bed. A study analyzing Census Bureau data from over 70,000 individuals between 2003 and 2007 revealed that women reported an average nightly sleep duration of eight hours and 27 minutes, compared to eight hours and 16 minutes for men—a statistically significant yet relatively minor discrepancy of 11 minutes.