Restful Ladies are Boss Ladies: Why Women Need More Sleep & Recovery Than Men Do

Wellness Chats & Anatomy Facts: Women's Day Edition

The science is in guys, and it is consitently proving and supporting the fact that women require more sleep and more recovery time than men do. It's not a matter of who deserves more, that's a personal opinion, this is a real scientific fact. So why do women need more recovery time? And why do they need to be prioritizing better sleep than their male-counterparts? There's a variety of factors at play.

The first one being, reproductive hormones. As females, we are cyclical. Every month our body is in a everchanging, transitioning state of hormones and chemistry as our body prepares for potential child-rearing and our menstrual cycle. So each week, we enter a new state of hormonal balance or imbalance as our body prepares for what nature designed it to do. These fluctuations in hormones create a snowball of changes in our other anatomical systems, which causes us to get tired easier and ultimately require more rest so our body can process and go through its changes smoothly.

Finding a good menstrual cycle tracker can tell you what phase your body is in each week and explain the exact changes going on in your body. This will help you acclimate to whatever habits would be better suited for you during that time, holistically.

Apart from that, our sex hormones affect our ability to get quality sleep in other ways too. Pregnancy, post-partum, menopause and perimenopause all create disruptions in our ability to get adequate rest. Apart from the hormones being all over the place, women can experience bodily discomfort from enlarged breasts & widening hips, hot flashes, cold sweats, chronic pain, anxiety, burnout and depression during these times-- just to name a few. If they're not resting properly, it only exacerbates the issue and can lead to more serious conditions overtime. These are anatomical changes that males dont have to experience and therefore, their bodily functioning and recovery can be optimized much easier.

A state of chronic high-level stress and poor sleep can lead to alzheimers and dementia in older age. High cortisol (stress hormone) levels cause the body to be in a constant state of 'fight or flight', our nervous system's primordial tool for defense. This makes the need to prioritize therapeutic activities and mindful rest all the more important! Breath-work, nature walk, meditation, exercise and massage.

The second, we multi-task more. The women in today's society arent just home-makers. They are taking care of the home and children, while working 9-5's, building business', handling the financial and business obligations, making doctor's appointments for the house, fixing what needs to be repaired and ultimately, many women are carrying what is refered to as "The Invisible Load", simultaneously.

"The Invisible Load" is the overwhemling sense of responsiblity and pressue to make sure that everything within the marriage, family unit and home is functioning properly. Making sure to not be overlooking all the action items and important daily functionings of the home (paying the light bill on time, garbage day, cleaning behind the toilet, etc.). Carrying this load, while still working and tending to domestic responsibilities, can be exhausting. It leads to mental, emotional and physical fatigue. Often times, women don't pour back into themselves the way they should-- through exercise, massage, meditation, etc. because they are too busy pouring into everyone and everything else.

From a relationship perspective, "The Invisible Load" can result in resentment of the other partner for not being aware or understanding what the person carrying the load goes through. And oftentimes, the one carrying the load is the woman and the reality of her experience(s) isn't always recognized. Or, it's not recognized in the way she feels it, but in how the other perceives it.

Basically, women are doing and thinking about doing a-whole-lot all at once and therefore they need time for therapeutic, restful and leisurely activities. While also prioritizing getting enough sleep. Many women experience guilt for taking the time to sleep, rest or spend on self-care but the truth is-- society and chemistry demand it.

Overall, the amount of sleep you need should really be determined more-so by your individual natural sleep cycle. Although the recommended average is 7 to 8 hours a night, it could be more for some people. Ideally the best way to promote restfullness, even if you arent in active sleep is by shutting down devices and stopping electronic stimulation 9 to11 hours before you have to wake up. This allows your body's circadian rythm to process that its time for rest and allows you to have more productive sleep cycles. So before bed, shut off the TV and put the phone away- your nueroplasticity (brain/nervous system health) will thank you. But more importantly, get some sleep and don't feel bad about it.

To raise the next generation of boss ladies who love themselves and spread greatness into the world- let's teach them the importance of not just caring for others-- but also for themselves.

Check out below for some mindfulness tips on how you can incorporate more rest and awareness into your daily habits!:

Sources:

Zimlich, Rachael. "Do Women Need More Sleep Than Men" Jessica Mong,PhD. health.yahoo.com. 2024.

Travers, Mark. "3 Signs Youre Carrying the 'Invisible Load' In Your Relationship-- By a Psychologist." forbes.com. 2024.

"7 Types of Rest" infograph c/o Will McTighe. linkedin.com/in/will-mctighe