You Snooze, You Win
While difficulty sleeping has become an American epidemic, more women than men report symptoms of insomnia, such as waking up unrefreshed, experiencing trouble falling asleep, waking often or early and then not being able to fall back to sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation's latest survey. The very things that make us different from men, our hormones, also diminish the quality of our dozing. Bloating, cramping, headaches and tender breasts keep us tossing and turning during monthly periods. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) sufferers don't sleep as deeply, not just cyclically but throughout the month. Pregnancy offers no respite from sleep disturbances, nor does menopause. Hot flashes keep women from sound slumber. Menopausal and postmenopausal women snooze 10 to 30 minutes less per night than their fertile counterparts. They also wake up more often to use the bathroom. If all the hormonal changes were not enough to make you want to burrow under the blankets, other factors -- including stress, pain, children, and partner snoring -- rob us more than men of the solid eight hours slumber we need to feel refreshed, invigorated, and ready to enjoy life. What's a gal to do? Let's face it -- we're not going to alter our hormones, and who'd want to? Personally, I like being a feisty female. You can never go wrong honing stress-management techniques -- such as deep breathing or meditation -- but that may not be enough. Thinking of popping a pill? Twenty-seven percent of women do. But establishing good sleep habits will provide more long-term benefits.
"Sleeping pills are meant for short-term use," says Margaret Moline, Ph.D., director of the Sleep-Wake Disorder Center at New York Presbyterian Hospital. For good sleep over the long haul, Moline recommends having "a nice, soothing routine to wind down before bedtime." To catch the requisite number of Zs, sleep professionals recommend the following techniques:
Scientists still don't know exactly why the body needs sleep, but it's easy to see the restorative powers of slumber when we don't get enough. "Without enough sleep, people's [ability to function during the] daytime can become impaired, and inadvertent sleeping will occur," Moline says. "It can be dangerous, if you're sleep deprived and driving. The ability to concentrate decreases." And the health effects of long-term sleep deprivation can be serious: Decreased immune function can result, potentially leading to other serious disorders. I know I'm sleeping more soundly and thinking more clearly since embracing the tenets of snooze wisdom above. If only my snoring wasn't keeping my dear husband awake. Related links:
Send feedback on this article. Debra Wood is a registered nurse and health writer living in Orlando, Florida. Debra calls on more than two decades of nursing experience to effectively communicate medical topics to lay and professional audiences. |
ver notice how
morning seems to roll around faster these days? With a seemingly
endless stream of responsibilities and entertainment options, we're
trying to squeeze more and more into our days, often at the expense
of our sleep.