Gender Sleep Gap - Sozialer Sprengstoff? Gender Sleep Gap, was ist das? Gender-Gaps, also „Lücken“…
Gender sleep gap - social explosives?
Gender sleep gap, what is it? There are many gender gaps, i.e. “gaps” between the manifestations of differences in certain social circumstances and phenomena between the biological sexes. Gender pay gap, gender care gap, gender health gap are just a few buzzwords.
The gender sleep gap has recently been added to the list. The term gender sleep gap describes the systematic differences in sleep quality, duration and rhythm between biological men and women.
These manifest themselves in a wide variety of forms:
- Women sleep longer than men
Depending on the source [1]Link:https://www.sleepfoundation.org/women-sleep/do-women-need-more-sleep-than-men, between 8 and 20 minutes per day are given here. That doesn’t sound like much at first, but over 365 days it adds up to an additional 6 – 15 nights per year that women sleep more. At first glance, that sounds like more rest than for men. But:
- Women are more likely to have sleep disorders or lack of sleep
Despite getting more sleep, women are more likely to report sleep deprivation than men[2]Jessica A. Mong, Fiona C. Baker, Megan M. Mahoney, Ketema N. Paul, Michael D. Schwartz, Kazue Semba and Rae Silver, Journal of Neuroscience 9 November 2011, 31 (45) 16107-16116; … Continue reading more women with sleep deprivation than men. This already indicates a higher need for sleep.
- Women build up sleep deficits faster, but take longer to recover from them
This reveals another dilemma, which causes the gap to widen[3]Jessica A. Mong, Fiona C. Baker, Megan M. Mahoney, Ketema N. Paul, Michael D. Schwartz, Kazue Semba and Rae Silver, Journal of Neuroscience 9 November 2011, 31 (45) 16107-16116; … Continue reading. Household chores and child rearing in particular usually leave little time for regeneration unless the partners are at least equally involved, which is not possible for single parents. Full-day daycare centers also offer little relief here, as they are predominantly not used for regeneration, but to enable parents to pursue gainful employment.
- Women fall asleep faster on average
This[4]https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-is-sleep-different-for-men-and-women suggests a higher sleep pressure. We’ll get to the potential reasons in a moment.
- Women wake up more often at night
The greatest differences are found between early and middle adulthood[5]Sigga Svala Jonasdottir, Kelton Minor, Sune Lehmann, Gender differences in nighttime sleep patterns and variability across the adult lifespan: a global-scale wearables study, Sleep, Volume 44, Issue … Continue reading, a phase of life associated with child rearing.
- Women actually have a higher sleep requirement than men
However, it is important to note that it is currently not possible to separate out the proportion of genetic factors (e.g. different hormonal situation) and the extent to which the social/cultural structure causes this gap [6]https://www.sleepfoundation.org/women-sleep/do-women-need-more-sleep-than-men. But more on this in a moment.
- Women stay longer in the non-REM deep sleep phase
This is another factor that supports the assumption that women have a higher need for sleep. However, this seems to reverse with age[7]https://www.sleepfoundation.org/women-sleep/do-women-need-more-sleep-than-men.
Causes of the gender sleep gap
In principle, you might initially think that less sleep can logically lead to higher sleep pressure and therefore a greater need for sleep. But science assumes that there is an additional higher biological need for sleep, which widens the gap even further. Here are the three most important possible causes.
- Biological factors
Women have different hormonal rhythms that can influence sleep. The menstrual cycle, pregnancy and the menopause[8]https://www.aok.de/pk/magazin/wohlbefinden/schlaf/das-koennen-sie-gegen-schlafstoerungen-in-den-wechseljahren-tun/ in particular have an impact on sleep quality. Studies show that hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle often lead to sleep problems. Especially in the premenstrual phase and during the menopause, many women complain of difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep.
In addition, the hormonal rhythm or the general hormonal situation in women is also subject to frequent changes and fluctuations over the course of their lives (puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum phase, menopause, postmenopause).
- Sleep-wake rhythm
On average, women have a slightly shorter circadian period length[9]Jessica A. Mong, Fiona C. Baker, Megan M. Mahoney, Ketema N. Paul, Michael D. Schwartz, Kazue Semba and Rae Silver, Journal of Neuroscience 9 November 2011, 31 (45) 16107-16116; … Continue reading, which means that biologically they get tired a little earlier and wake up earlier. As a result, women tend to have an early chronotype, while men [10]Randler C, Engelke J. Gender differences in chronotype diminish with age: a meta-analysis based on morningness/chronotype questionnaires. Chronobiol Int. 2019 Jul;36(7):888-905. doi: … Continue reading are more likely to wake up late, although interestingly the ratio reverses with age. According to our own professional experience, this often leads to problems in partnerships, for example if the partners have different chronotypes.
- Socio-cultural factors
The traditional distribution of roles also plays a major role in the gender sleep gap. Even today, women still often take on the main responsibility for childcare (including school) and the household[11]https://de.statista.com/infografik/15857/verteilung-von-hausarbeit-bei-maennern-und-frauen/. These additional responsibilities and the “mental load”, i.e. the constant mental preparation and follow-up for family and household, mean that women often have interrupted or less restful sleep.
- Occupational stress
In recent decades, more women have entered the labor market and are often exposed to a double burden (see point 3). Balancing family and work can lead to chronic stress, which impairs sleep. In addition, women are more likely to suffer from sleep disorders, partly because they work more in part-time jobs[12]https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1098738/umfrage/anteil-der-teilzeitbeschaeftigung-in-den-eu-laendern/ or shift work in care, which can affect their sleep structure.
Social impact of the gender sleep gap
The gender sleep gap therefore not only has an impact on individual health, but also on society as a whole. Poor sleep and the associated health problems lead to lower productivity at work, an increased risk of absenteeism and an increased risk of cancer[13]https://www.aerztezeitung.de/Medizin/Wie-Arbeitszeit-und-innere-Uhr-die-Krebsgefahr-beeinflussen-244058.html, especially for women working the night shift. Women who sleep poorly tend to be less productive and may not be able to fully realize the social potential they bring to the table.
Now you might say: “It’s no different for men!”
Yes, but: The fact that women are more susceptible in this respect also contributes to the fact that, depending on the source, the proportion of sick leave notifications, e.g. due to mental illness, is sometimes 20-30%[14]https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/254192/umfrage/entwicklung-der-au-tage-aufgrund-psychischer-erkrankungen-nach-geschlecht/ higher for women than for men. The rate of sick leave (incapacity for work) due to mental illness is also highest in areas that tend to be occupied more by women. With 19.7 cases of incapacity to work per 100 AOK members, the health and social services sector is in first place, ahead of education and teaching with 17.4 cases of incapacity to work [15]AOK 2024 absence report. Theoretically, this could also lead to a deliberate preference for men when hiring in other professions.
But the gender sleep gap also has an impact outside of companies. Women who suffer from a lack of sleep are more prone to mood swings, irritability and depression. This can affect not only their own relationships and family life, but also the general social climate.
In the long term, the gender sleep gap can therefore help to further entrench social inequalities by creating a gap between men and women that goes beyond sleep.
High relevance for sleep coaching and chrono coaching
Sleep deprivation in women not only represents a considerable cost factor for the healthcare system, but also has a high social and therefore also familial explosive force.
The problem often arises that causality is not taken into account. Quite a few general practitioners do not even consider sleep deprivation as a possible diagnosis for somatic complaints. I see this time and time again in my coaching sessions, as many clients have already been to the doctor before they have an impulse to think that sleep problems could be the cause.
However, sleep problems are often just a symptom of another cause. It is therefore extremely important to take a look at the relevant causal chains. However, only a few experts have this holistic view, as sleep training is not the focus of medicine.
The gender sleep gap is therefore a central and exponentially growing topic for sleep coaching and chrono coaching. Tailored, professional coaching that takes into account the biological and social sleep needs of women in particular can be crucial to achieving sustainable improvements in sleep quality. For sleep and ChronoCoaches in particular, it can also be an impulse to focus specifically on the target group of women, as they also have more experience of the relevant issues.
In sleep and chronocoaching, it is important to analyze both the client’s sleep hygiene and the structure of her daily routine. Individual measures can be developed here that are tailored to the specific sleep needs and personal daily rhythm. In the family context, for example, we have developed the concept “CoFam” – Chronotype-optimized Family Planning” in our Sleepmaster training, which is based on my tried-and-tested COPEP® approach (Chronotype-optimized Personal Planning). This takes precisely these different needs into account.
An approach geared towards women could involve the client receiving support in coping with stress, for example, and regularly creating time windows in which she can sleep undisturbed, especially during menstruation, for example.
ChronoCoaches, who specialize in the individual biological clock and the different rhythmic needs of the sexes, can therefore help women not only to improve their sleep rhythm, but also to increase their overall quality of life.
ChronoCoaches can also provide valuable information and help those affected to find the optimal daily structure that suits their biological rhythm. This is particularly helpful for women who have severely restricted sleeping times due to shift work or family commitments. ChronoCoaching can also be very supportive for women going through the menopause, as they often suffer from hormonally induced sleep problems. Here, ChronoCoaches can help to better stabilize the circadian rhythm by making adjustments to the sleeping environment or daylight habits, for example.
Conclusion
The gender sleep gap can have a profound impact on the health, performance and well-being of the women affected, ultimately affecting society as a whole. The gender sleep gap is a complex phenomenon that has both biological and socio-cultural causes and has far-reaching effects on health and society. It is therefore important for sleep coaches and ChronoCoaches to understand the different needs of men and women and to take them into account in their coaching. A personalized, gender-specific approach can help to reduce the gender sleep gap and sustainably improve the quality of life of affected women.
Note: In this article on the gender sleep gap, reference was/is made exclusively to biological sex.
Referenzen
| ↑1 | Link:https://www.sleepfoundation.org/women-sleep/do-women-need-more-sleep-than-men |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | Jessica A. Mong, Fiona C. Baker, Megan M. Mahoney, Ketema N. Paul, Michael D. Schwartz, Kazue Semba and Rae Silver, Journal of Neuroscience 9 November 2011, 31 (45) 16107-16116; https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4175-11.2011)). Several studies show significant differences of up to 50 %((Barmer Gesundheitsreport 2019 |
| ↑3 | Jessica A. Mong, Fiona C. Baker, Megan M. Mahoney, Ketema N. Paul, Michael D. Schwartz, Kazue Semba and Rae Silver, Journal of Neuroscience 9 November 2011, 31 (45) 16107-16116; https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4175-11.2011 |
| ↑4 | https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-is-sleep-different-for-men-and-women |
| ↑5 | Sigga Svala Jonasdottir, Kelton Minor, Sune Lehmann, Gender differences in nighttime sleep patterns and variability across the adult lifespan: a global-scale wearables study, Sleep, Volume 44, Issue 2, February 2021, zsaa169, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsaa169 |
| ↑6, ↑7 | https://www.sleepfoundation.org/women-sleep/do-women-need-more-sleep-than-men |
| ↑8 | https://www.aok.de/pk/magazin/wohlbefinden/schlaf/das-koennen-sie-gegen-schlafstoerungen-in-den-wechseljahren-tun/ |
| ↑9 | Jessica A. Mong, Fiona C. Baker, Megan M. Mahoney, Ketema N. Paul, Michael D. Schwartz, Kazue Semba and Rae Silver, Journal of Neuroscience 9 November 2011, 31 (45) 16107-16116; https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4175-11.2011 |
| ↑10 | Randler C, Engelke J. Gender differences in chronotype diminish with age: a meta-analysis based on morningness/chronotype questionnaires. Chronobiol Int. 2019 Jul;36(7):888-905. doi: 10.1080/07420528.2019.1585867. Epub 2019 May 9. PMID: 31070061. |
| ↑11 | https://de.statista.com/infografik/15857/verteilung-von-hausarbeit-bei-maennern-und-frauen/ |
| ↑12 | https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1098738/umfrage/anteil-der-teilzeitbeschaeftigung-in-den-eu-laendern/ |
| ↑13 | https://www.aerztezeitung.de/Medizin/Wie-Arbeitszeit-und-innere-Uhr-die-Krebsgefahr-beeinflussen-244058.html |
| ↑14 | https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/254192/umfrage/entwicklung-der-au-tage-aufgrund-psychischer-erkrankungen-nach-geschlecht/ |
| ↑15 | AOK 2024 absence report |
