Have you found that you are tossing and turning a lot during the night? Do you find that you are always having a hard time falling asleep? Are you a woman? It is difficult, but studies have shown that women often struggle more to fall asleep than men do. Let’s take a closer look at why women struggle more than men to fall asleep each night.
Why this is the case
This disruption during sleep emerges in women during puberty. Knowing this, it suggests that sex hormones, among other social factors such as stress, can potentially contribute to the development of insomnia in women.
Additionally, women tend to use more sleep medications than men do. And, even with those sleep aids, they still struggled to fall asleep and also reported more daytime sleepiness. Knowing this, it is important to seek proper guidance on how to improve your sleep duration and quality of sleep.
Here is what you can do
Knowing about these sleep disruptions, it is important to find ways to improve your rest each night. Here are some healthy sleep habits you should adopt:
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends.
- Do not nap more than 45 minutes during the day.
- Avoid caffeine after 3 p.m.
- Exercise regularly to reduce stress and improve sleep.
- Don’t eat fatty or spicy foods close to bedtime that might upset your stomach.
- Skip the alcohol at least four hours before bedtime.
- Do not smoke.
- Keep your bedroom well-ventilated.
- Pick a comfortable sleep temperature setting that is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Block out distracting noise.
- Eliminate any light, including blue light from your phone, laptop and TV.
Contact Dr. Mayoor Patel to learn more about sleep and how you can improve your quality of sleep each night.
