After a child is born, it is often the mom who wakes up in the middle of the night to care for that child. Consequently it is also often the mother who is lacking the most sleep. Now a study from scientists at Duke University claims that moms, and women in general, need more sleep than men.
The study, which finds that women are lacking the sleep they need, also examines the consequences of lacking sleep.
According to research, women suffer both mentally and physically if forced to skip out on much needed rest. Women who do not sleep enough are more prone to heart disease, depression, and psychological problems. Less sleep leads to extra clotting factors in a females blood, which can lead to stroke and even death. Women who lack sleep also have higher inflammation markers, which can lead to other health problems.
Even if major health problems are not discovered, researcher found that a lack of sleep can actually lead to additional pain when they wake up.
Researchers found that men showed no increased risk of developing the ailments that affect women because of sleep deprivation.
Husbands and boyfriends take note: Doctors conducting the study also found that women can become easily angered if they do not catch enough Zs.
So what is the solution if you cannot sleep more hours? Researchers suggest a 25 minutes or 90 minute nap to help with a bit of rejuvenation. However, sleeping outside of those allotted times can actually lead to more drowsiness.
A previous study conducted in Britain found that just 20 minutes of additional sleep is needed by women to help stop such ailments from occurring.
References
Duke University Scientists Find Women Need More Sleep Than Men: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/duke-university-scientists-find-women-need-more-sleep-than-men
Image Credits
Moms Need More Sleep Than Dads to Stay Healthy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zhzheka/1302723759/sizes/o/
