Women and sleep

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the differences in women's sleep compared to men and presents the reasons why differences occur, and how this may affect clinical decisions. Females demonstrated a trend toward increased slow-wave sleep (SWS) which continued throughout most of their lives. Teenage females tended to show less time in bed (TIB) and in the later teens females slept less than males. In their 20s, females demonstrated more total sleep time (TST) than men and continued to do so throughout life. Females' cyclic hormonal nature and physiologic changes significantly influence sleep architecture across their reproductive lifetime. Estrogen seems to increase longer rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in humans and improve sleep continuity in menopause. Other sleep disorders such as apnea appear frequently in women are still underdiagnosed, leaving women subjected to the significant health outcomes of hypertension, diabetes, and profound daytime sleepiness. Awareness of these issues and attention to incorporating questions about sleep and daytime alertness into a woman's care will optimize treatment.