If your first words every morning are ‘5 more minutes, please’, we give you the perfect excuse to let you sleep more. According to various studies, women need to sleep longer than men. And who are we to contradict these investigations?
Why do they have to let us sleep more
- It is estimated that an adult needs to sleep between 7 and 9 hours each day to wake up rested. However, according to research carried out by the British University of Loughborough, women need nothing more and nothing less than 20 minutes more sleep a day than men.
- The importance of getting a good night’s sleep goes beyond waking up with or without dark circles. While we are in bed, the brain takes the opportunity to repair itself from everything it has been subjected to during the day. Since a woman’s brain works differently from a man’s – according to the researchers in a more complex way – she needs more time to recover.
- As explained in the study, women use the brain ‘more’, since we are more prone to multitasking. By participating in more than one activity simultaneously, our brain needs more time to rest. In any case, it is necessary to point out that this research recognizes that men with very intense jobs also need these extra minutes of sleep.
Women suffer more from lack of sleep
Added to this need to sleep 20 minutes more than men is the fact that women are more affected by lack of sleep. That is, the symptoms of insomnia are more severe in women than in men.
Those who do not sleep well are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease and / or diabetes. Other consequences of not sleeping well at night are:
- Anxiety when eating and more hunger during the day.
- Greater risk of suffering an accident because there is worse eye coordination.
- A weaker immune system, with more possibilities of suffering from diseases.
- Irritability and mood swings.
- fatigue.
- Worse memory and concentration problems.
- Increased risk of developing obesity.
- Less life expectancy.
9 useful tips to sleep better
Sleeping many hours does not make sense if we are not sleeping well. The key to waking up rested in the morning is not having slept more or less hours, but that they have been of quality. Take note of the following tips to improve your sleep hygiene.
Create a sleep routine
Many people tend to take advantage of the weekends to recover the hours of sleep from the previous days. However, strange as it may seem, this habit does not help improve your rest.
Going to bed and getting up at the same time will help you rest better at night. Not having a routine will cause a big mess in your sleep.
No coffees or teas after 5
If you want to sleep well in the afternoon, avoid stimulating drinks from the afternoon on. That includes coffee, tea, hot chocolates, and energy drinks. Otherwise, it will cost you more to relax. Also avoid alcoholic beverages and tobacco.
Prepare your room to sleep
Predispose your body to sleep by preparing your room for sleep. Avoid too much light, make sure there is a comfortable temperature and that there are not too many noises that bother you.
Get away from mobile and television
Many people have the habit of checking all the social networks before going to sleep or leaving the television on while they fall asleep. The problem is that the light emitted by these devices could make it more difficult to sleep.
The bed is only for sleeping (or almost)
Using the bed to work or watch TV will make it harder for you to fall asleep. You know, the bed just to sleep (and to have fun).
Exercise and stay active
If you do some sport during the day and lead an active life, you will notice that it is less difficult for you to sleep at night. When it’s time to go to bed, you’ll be more tired and want to get into bed more. Keep in mind that you should leave a few hours between playing sports and going to sleep, because otherwise you will go to bed in a state of over excitation.
Don’t eat too much
Dinners that are too copious have heavier digestions, which could make it difficult for you to sleep. Better choose light foods such as vegetables and fruits for the last hours of the day.
Try to go to bed without worries
Carrying out a relaxation technique before going to bed will help you feel calmer and free your mind from day-to-day worries. It can also help to take a relaxing bath or use a recording of birds, the sea or white noise before going to sleep.
Naps, just
Try not to overdo naps or when you go to bed at night you won’t be sleepy.
You know, the next time they don’t let you get the sleep you want, talk to them about the hours a woman should sleep. Now you have the perfect excuse to spend more time in bed!
