Women's brains are more complex than those of men, according to science, which means they require more sleep. The director of Loughborough University's Sleep Research Centre, Professor Jim Horne, provides a detailed explanation of the significance of sleep.
According to Jim Horne: “For women, poor sleep is strongly associated with high levels of psychological distress and greater feelings of hostility, depression, and anger,” and “These feelings were not associated with the same degree of sleep disruption in men.”
Professor Jim Horne, has a specific explanation on the importance of sleeping. The professor also wrote the book Sleepfaring: A Journey Through The Science of Sleep.
“One of the major functions of sleep is to allow the brain to recover and repair itself. During deep sleep, the cortex — the part of the brain responsible for thought memory, language and so on – disengages from the senses and goes into recovery mode.”
“The more of your brain you use during the day, the more of it that
needs to recover and, consequently, the more sleep you need. Women tend
to multi-task — they do lots at once and are flexible — and so they use
more of their actual brain than men do. Because of that, their sleep
need is greater.
A man who has a complex job that involves a lot of decision-making and lateral thinking may also need more sleep than the average male — though probably still not as much as a woman.”
“This is because women’s brains are wired differently from men’s and are more complex, so their sleep need will be slightly greater. The average is 20 minutes more, but some women may need slightly more or less than this.”
Women need more than 8 hours
Yes, we know that it is highly recommended that you sleep at least 8 hours, and 7 hours usually suffice, but Professor Horne explains that women’s brain “wired differently from men’s and are more complex, so their sleep need will be slightly greater.”
What makes woman’s brain more complex?
Unlike men, women are used to do multi-tasking, and expose their brains to more strenuous activities. This means that women’s brain needs more time to recover completely, and sleeping is the best way to achieve that.
What happens to Tired Men?
Professor Horne explained that man who do jobs that involve decision-making need more sleep than an average man, but still less than an average woman.
- Set a Routine — If one sets a sleep routine, it will be easier for the brain to recognize when to slow down and relax. This could improve sleep quality.
- Avoid Stimulating Foods — There are some stimulants in our foods that should be avoided before bed like caffeine (coffee), theobromine (cacao or chocolate) and sugar. Such stimulants can make falling asleep more difficult.
- Meditation — Many women have a hard time falling asleep because their brains will not stop. Practicing simple meditation will help the brain settle and prepare for relaxation.
- Yoga — Practicing some simple yoga poses meant to ready the body and mind for sleep may also prove helpful.
- Melatonin — Take 1-3 mg of melatonin an hour before bedtime.
Sources:
twentytwowords.com
www.davidwolfe.com